Misty's Awakening
by StarGlider
Summary: Misty fell into sleep in the summer and didn't wake until fall...2 and a half years later! Enjoy--I always love reviews!
1. The Accident

Misty's Awakening  
~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~  
  
"Um... OK, guys— dinner's ready!" Misty's voice sounded a bit uncertain, but still somewhat triumphant.  
  
  
"Mmm, good. I could use some real food about now. What is it?" It was Ash speaking, looking up from the weak body of his older friend, Brock.  
  
  
"Well... I tried to make soup from scratch. I thought I had the recipe memorized; I've seen Brock make it so many times. I think I got it mostly right." Misty stood still, watching as Ash dished out some of the chunky substance into a bowl.  
  
"Chicken soup?" he asked, discerning the stuff in the ladle.  
  
"Er, yeah," Misty said quickly, "especially for Brock."  
  
Ash nodded. It was almost like... like she wanted his approval, and if she didn't get it, it'd be a blow to her morale. Usually, she didn't care what he thought about anything.  
  
Things had been bad enough— they hadn't been able to travel much at all the past few days, what with Brock getting sick and all. They hadn't been able to get him to a doctor yet, and Misty had assumed that if she at least tried to cook something fresh, it might help him. Maybe it would help all of them.  
  
Misty watched, tentatively, as Ash poured soup into his bowl and took a bite.  
  
It seemed at first that he liked it, but a moment later, Misty realized that she was wrong. Ash spat out the soup and, crying out, and ran straight for a bucket of water, ducking his whole head in it.  
  
Misty stamped her foot to the ground. Wasn't anything she did good enough for that ignorant little dolt?!  
  
Ash returned, sputtering, and still spitting water. "Yuck, Misty! I know Brock and I annoy you a lot, but do you really wanna *kill* us?!" He was joking, and that only made it worse.  
  
'Sometimes...' Misty thought to herself. Then, shaking her head, she yelled, "Well, at least I'm _trying_ to do something around here!!! For as long as I've been traveling with you, I've _never_ seen you cook even once! You couldn't even roast a marshmallow by yourself, so I'd just like to see you do better!"  
  
"Well... well, I'm busy taking care of Brock just now! How do you expect _me_ to cook at a time like this?!"  
  
Misty was fuming. How could he insult her when she was just trying to help, too? "Ash Kethchem, you have *no* respect for other people, and God forbid you actually _do_ something around here besides throw your stupid Pokeballs!" She did all she could to keep from lunging at him and choking his proud little throat.  
  
"Uh, wow Misty! You sound just like my mom...too bad you can't cook like her! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Ash was doubled up laughing on the ground.  
  
That was drawing the line. "Arrrghh!! THAT'S IT!!" Misty screamed, "I... I... I'M LEAVING FOR A WHILE!" She stormed off from they're camp and toward the beach, about a mile away.  
  
She began to run. The farther from Ash, the better, she thought. Just forget him! They'd been together for years... two? Three, maybe? Who knew anymore. But he hadn't seemed to change one bit from his old, obnoxious self.  
  
Misty remembered a few times— even if it were only 2 or 3— that she had decided that she liked Ash. Maybe even had a crush on him. Yes... those were the times that he had been kind... times when she had admired him. She always got over it, though— he'd always go back to his old self after that. What an idiot!   
  
'Some people never change,' she thought.  
  
She was tired, but she didn't feel much like stopping. She could hear the ocean waves ahead of her now...  
  
Ah, the ocean, one of the things that could always make Misty feel better, no matter what. She sighed, and began to run even faster, already envisioning the ocean vapors about her, and the sunset over the waves.  
  
At last— she could see it now, coming up over an ocean ledge that lead down to the beach. Blue, pristine, beautiful.  
  
Misty came up against the ledge and ran faster still, looking for a way down. The very sight of the water was invigorating.   
  
"Just...forget...about...Ash..." she panted to herself as she rain parallel to the water. She closed her eyes, and opened them again to the glittering body of liquid.  
  
And then suddenly, with a jolt, the ocean was doing flips, tumbling as she felt her foot catch on something unseen. She rolled over and over... off the cliff she had been running by. She had no time to comprehend what had just happened and why, and she just kept rolling. She tried to curl her body up into a ball, but it didn't stop the rocks from hitting her in the head, nor did it shield her small body from the rocks and ledges that jutted out from the cliff side.  
  
Her head was jolted back and forth continually. She found that she no longer had control over her body, and, at last, ceased rolling and lay sprawled out on the sand.  
  
She couldn't see. She couldn't feel. She couldn't even think...  
  
She knew nothing else but blackness from then on.  
  
  
* * * *   
  
  
"...Misty... Misty..."  
  
She heard an echo in the pitch black. She wanted so badly to answer, but found that she had no voice.  
  
"Oh....Misty.... I..."  
  
She felt like she was falling, spinning through the air. It felt cold.  
  
"......."  
  
The voice was gone, and for a moment, all she could hear was breathing. Then, very suddenly, nothingness returned. This time, it lasted a very, very long time.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
It was like looking down an empty country road: it never seemed to stop. Misty wasn't sure if she was thinking it, or if it was even a thought at all, but that was how it felt— the blackness, that is. Watching the dark, looking into nothing, like staring at a blank piece of paper for an eternity and hoping to find something on it. The void was drowning her very soul in darkness.  
  
And then she saw; no, *felt* something rushing by her. It wasn't exactly a material thing... it was like after not thinking for a long time, some idea ran though her mind. Then another, and yet another. She felt like she was being lifted up by someone's strong arm, and it felt so strange. She was floating aimlessly... then a splash had interrupted her world.  
  
Or was it the world interrupting her own black solitude?  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Eyes— things Misty had forgotten, windows that had been long closed to her. Light cascaded into them now, directing the darkness out through the crack that had just opened. And ears— yes, a strange, disparate, almost noisy sensation had returned to them— beep... beep... beep...  
  
Feeling spread through her like a huge wave, washing over her entire being. Arms, hands, legs, feet: they all came back to her consciousness, and she found herself testing them out, wiggling her fingers and toes. It felt amazing, and strangely overtaking.  
  
She felt, for the first time in an infinity, air flowing in and out of her lungs. She could smell a sterile, aseptic scent that seemed to be permanent to where she was. And, at last, she saw.  
  
It was mostly white, what she saw come into focus. She recognized that she was alone in a room that was mostly empty. Her brain recognized the things about her. A bed, which she was currently lying on; a window, through which came light, a chair situated right next to her bed; and a table with flowers... flowers... smelled so sweet...  
  
Some machinery was next to the wall by her, too. Large, small, on and beeping, off and cold. Some were even... hooked up to her.  
  
Misty moved her head— it ached dully, and she turned it back. Outside of her room, she had seen many busy people in white, bustling back and forth.  
  
Misty tried to sit up, but found herself too weak. She felt a bit confused somehow but even though she couldn't understand what was happening, she felt mostly at peace. Still— how had she gotten here?  
  
The door to the room opened. Misty looked over to it, and saw in the doorway a nurse in white with a silver tray. She saw Misty, blinked once, an dropped the tray and its contents all over the hard, tile floor.  
  
"Oh, my...you...the Waterflower girl! You...you're awake!"  
  
She looked very alarmed, and glanced all around her, at the machines, and back at Misty. "I...oh, now, don't you move. I'm going to get the Doctor right away!" She ran out of the room, leaving the mess on the floor.  
  
Not only did this confuse Misty, it made her a little nervous. Doctor? Why? What had happened to her, and what was he going to do to her now?  
  
Well, she *wasn't* going to go anywhere, the nurse didn't need to worry. She could barely move as it was. She just lay there, waiting again. Waiting was nothing to her anymore.  
  
* * * *   
  
Eventually, Misty heard the door open again. A man wearing a white coat entered the room, and came toward her. He had a clipboard with him, and looked to be about 30 years old. He smiled at the sight of Misty.  
  
"Well, well...so it's true!" he said, sounding both astounded and pleased. Misty opened her mouth and attempted to speak, but didn't know if she could. It felt almost like there was a rag stuck in her mouth, or that she had forgotten how.  
  
"I can hardly believe it!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Well, I guess I should look you over, see how you're doing now. I guess you've had a nice long nap, anyway." He chuckled lightly to himself. "Anyway, let me run a quick examination, alright?"  
  
Misty nodded faintly.  
  
"Good, good." The Doctor gently sat her up, and began to listen to her heartbeat with a stethoscope.   
  
"So; how much do you remember? Can you tell me what your name is?" He put his stethoscope around his neck and began to look at one of the machines closely.  
  
Misty felt a rush come over her. Name... her name. Certainly she knew that! She thought for a moment, and then a voice echoed softly in the back of her mind, though it was not her own:  
  
'...Misty... Oh, Misty.... please...'  
  
Yes! Misty. Misty Waterflower. She opened her mouth, and choked out the words.  
  
"Mm...Misty."  
  
The Doctor glanced at her and nodded. "Good! Very good, Misty. Yes, I'm pretty impressed at what I'm seeing here. You don't seem to have any amnesia or brain damage of any kind...at least not any that's obvious." He began to write on his clipboard. "Do you remember anything else, Misty?"   
  
She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. She didn't remember much...mostly darkness...but then...  
  
"Yes," she answered, her voice rather shaky, "I...I was falling down. I was running away."  
  
"Falling, eh? I see. And where were you falling, exactly?"  
  
"I don't know," she responded. She thought a minute more. It was like trying to find a certain shirt in a dark closet full of clothes.   
  
"Wait— the beach!" she said suddenly as thought returned to her. "I was running to it, and I fell." She took in breath slowly. "I was running because I was angry." She found it hard to use long sentences— almost draining, and complicated.  
  
"Oh? Can you tell me exactly why you were running away?" the Doctor asked, looking in her ear with a light.  
  
"Well, I was angry. Angry... at someone. I wanted to get away."  
  
The Doctor, finishing up the examination, decided not to ask anymore questions, as at the rate it was going, it could take all day. "Alright, Misty, that about does it. Now, you rest, and don't try to get out of bed, OK? Just be careful and calm down ." He settled her back down onto the mattress so that she was lying on her back again. He put covers over her, and walked to the door.  
  
Misty suddenly felt desperate, a need to know more, and she struggled to get him to come back. "Wait! Please don't go— tell me what's going on," she pleaded, trying to sit up again. "I'm just so...so confused!"  
  
The doctor looked back at her. He seemed understanding. "Well... I don't know if you're ready for that yet, Misty."  
  
Misty was starting to panic. "Ready? What? What do you mean? I want to know!"  
  
The Doctor walked back to Misty's bedside and sat down. "Are you sure you want to know now; right now?" he asked seriously.   
  
Misty gulped. "Yes, I...I think so."  
  
"Well, you have the right to know, I suppose." He sighed. "You had a bad blow to your head, and we think you must have had a concussion. That's what makes the most sense. But whatever it was, it caused you to go into a coma; a long coma. You've been unconscious for nearly 3 years now."  
  
  
  
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To Be Continued...  
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So, shall I continue it? I probably would anyway. But tell me what you thought of it, just the same. I know it's not completely original, but how many fics are there that *haven't* been done? Anyway, lemme know if you liked it! --StarGlider  
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	2. The Reunion

_________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 2  
_________________  
  
  
  
Misty sat there, as if paralyzed, for several moments. Time stood still. She couldn't get her voice to utter a single word. Not after what she had just heard. Not after what the Doctor had told her.  
  
She was staring at her hand now, unable to move her gaze from it. There was a hospital bracelet on her wrist...and her fingers looked...longer?  
  
At long last, she slowly, steadily, looked up to the Doctor. His face; his eyes— they looked sincere and concerned. He wasn't smiling anymore. "Misty," he said gently, "I'm very sorry..." She just looked into his face, as if to ask him for the real truth. To ask him, at least, for a way to change it.   
  
"I'm sorry, but... what's done is done. Accidents happen, and sometimes, they aren't at all how we want them to end up."  
  
Misty let herself breathe. "H...how long? Three years?" Fear flowed clearly through her voice, and the strange, sick, nervous pain in her stomach felt almost unbearable now.  
  
  
"Not quite three," the Doctor said. "More like two and a half." Misty nodded, but she seemed to be somewhere else.  
  
"Two and a half years..." she repeated quietly. "Two and a half... years."  
  
"Misty," the Doctor told her, "Many coma patients don't even wake up after that long. Many are permanently handicapped, or get brain damage, or worse. You got off very lucky. I want you to at least consider that."  
  
Her breath wavered. "Yes... but... two and a half years... are gone..." She closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'll never have them back." Several more tears came, falling off of her chin and soaking onto the hospital blanket.  
  
The Doctor touched her arm. "I understand. But the important thing now is that you woke up, and you're alive. You're healthy, and you need to keep it that way. You must rest now.  
  
She nodded, biting her lip.  
  
"Th..thank y...ou," Misty stammered, and looked away.  
  
The Doctor helped her to lay down again, and she buried her head in her pillow.  
  
She waited until she heard the Doctor close the door to break into uncontrollable sobs.  
  
  
* * * *   
  
  
Throughout the day, the Doctor, as well as several nurses, all writing things down and checking machines, came in and out of Misty's room. She pretended to be asleep, though; she didn't want to talk to them.  
  
Misty actually tried to sleep several times, but her slumber was brief and full of nightmares. Over and over, she saw herself tumbling down a ledge, sharp rocks protruding into her skin, and blood and scratches covering her body as she rolled onto the cold sand. After that, it was like returning to her black void...the one she had been trapped in for nearly three years. She never wanted to sleep again.  
  
That evening, the Doctor returned. He told Misty that she needed to take some pills and water.  
  
He sat her up, held out a tray of pills, and handed her a cup of water. It felt strange to drink water again. She couldn't recall it's soothing, cold, feeling; liquid and smooth, trickling down her throat It felt like a very distant memory.  
  
The Doctor was just picking up the cup and tray when a nurse came to the door.  
  
"Doctor," she said, "Misty Waterflower has a visitor."  
  
"Oh, yes. Right on schedule. I suppose...he knows."  
  
The nurse nodded.  
  
The Doctor turned to Misty. "Would you like a visitor?"  
  
She had no inkling of who would visit her— she hadn't thought about that before. "Sh..sure, yeah," she mumbled.  
  
The Doctor stood, and walked to the door with the nurse. It closed.  
  
Again, Misty felt that sick, nervous feeling. Who would visit her? She was so anxious, she couldn't get herself to remember anyone she had ever known. Her head was a whirlpool of names and faces that she couldn't match...  
  
The knob on the door turned; it cracked open.  
  
A teenage boy, looking to be about sixteen, stepped in. He was wearing a T-shirt with jeans...but it seemed to suit him. His complection was clear, and his hair was dark and a bit wild, though good-looking, and his eyes looked caring and curious.  
  
'Who in the.....'  
  
Shocked, Misty's jaw dropped in sudden realization.   
  
"Ash?"  
  
The boy's face turned into a smile— a joyful, relieved smile. He ran to Misty's bedside.  
  
"MISTY!!" he cried out, and wrapped his strong arms around her body. "It's TRUE— you're awake! I can't believe you're awake..."  
  
If this was Ash, he sure wasn't acting the part. Just the same...Misty hoped that it really was him.  
  
"Ash..." she choked. "Ash, is it really...?"  
  
The dark haired boy looked up. Misty nearly gasped— those eyes, that face, there was no mistaking it was him— and his face was wet with tears.  
  
"Oh, Ash!" Misty cried, and she flung her own arms around the boy. "I... missed you..."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
They ended the embrace, both in tears by now, and looked at each other. Misty's breath was shaky, but she didn't feel nervous and cold anymore.  
  
"I can't believe how...how different you look!" Misty told him, looking him over again. In this case, she decided, different was good. Very good. Ash had turned into quite a good- looking guy, and while Misty was sure that it was her same Ash, there was a new quality to him. Maturity.   
  
'A lot has happened to him in two and a half years...' she thought.  
  
"Well, you have, too."  
  
Misty hadn't thought a lot about this. She looked down at her hand again. "I guess you're right."  
  
They both smiled; his almost made her blush. She wasn't sure what to say now. What were you supposed to say to someone you had disappeared from nearly three years ago?  
  
Then, she remembered something that the Doctor had said earlier.  
  
"Ash, what did the Doctor mean— he said you were 'right on schedule'." She gave him a curious look.  
  
"Well...he said that because this is the time I usually come to see you." He sat down in the chair by her bed.  
  
Misty's face went a bit white. "You...you've been coming to see me?"  
  
Ash nodded. "As often as I could."  
  
It was hard for Misty to think clearly. What exactly had happened to Ash since she fell?  
  
She breathed in slowly. "What...happened, Ash, after I went unconscious? Tell me everything you can."  
  
Ash sat still for a few seconds, as if recollecting events he didn't want to remember, and then he began to speak.  
  
"OK, Misty...if you really want to hear it. Where should I start? Uh, I guess where you ran off. Well anyway, I had a laugh for a couple of minutes about what I had said to you...but after about half an hour without you coming back, I, well, I got worried." It felt good to hear him say that.  
  
"So after a while, I told Brock I was going to look for you. He wasn't exactly, uh, *there* at the moment, you know how he was sick...so I just left to find you...."  
  
//=//=//=//=//=///=//=//=//=//=//  
  
Ash wasn't sure why, but he had never been so worried about Misty. She'd run off before but...why did he get the feeling that she wouldn't be coming back this time?  
  
"Pikachu, you've got to stay here, with Brock," the boy told his Pokemon. "Will you do that for me?"  
  
"Pika! Pikachu!"  
  
"Thanks, Pikachu. I'll be back as soon as I can!"  
  
The sun was beginning to set now. Ash couldn't make his legs do anything but run. Where was Misty? Why hadn't she returned? Was she serious this time, about leaving?   
  
"She loves the beach," he told himself. "She'll be by the ocean, I'm sure."  
  
He found a cliff leading down to the beach. Ash climbed down it, slowly, as not to fall, and began to search over the sand.  
  
"Misssss-ty!" he called, "MISSS-TY!!" Certainly, she was here...she had to be.  
  
Ash ran frantically over the sand, breathing furiously, and continued to look and call for his friend.  
  
He saw ahead of him, in the darkness, something on the sand by the cliff...  
  
"Misty! Oh, Misty..."  
  
He fell over in the sand by her side, shaking her body urgently, yet gently. "Misty, please, I...I'm sorry— please, *please* get up!"  
  
He looked at her body...scratches and gashes covered her once fair skin. Her face was expressionless; her body, lifeless.  
  
Ash whimpered softly. "...she.... she's....." He choked back tears. "...Misty, no...."  
  
He sniffed, and glanced around. 'What should I do? This is— this is all my fault!'  
  
He felt warm tears in his eyes. "I've got to do something... I've got to—" He sobbed agonizingly. "Misty...I'll do something..." He pulled her up into his arms, carrying her, and carefully climbed the ledge.  
  
He moved as fast as he could back toward to camp. "Please, Misty.... " he whispered, "...don't die on me."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Ash looked over his two friends, both lying, rather motionless, on the ground. He had wrapped Misty up in a blanket tightly, hoping by some whim that she was still alive. If she was, it was he who would have to save her. This was his fault, after all. She never would've run off if he hadn't laughed at her.   
  
"OK....OK....Uh, I can, Uh....go find someone!" He paced back and forth, Pikachu walking at his heals nervously. "Pikachu, I have to find a road. It's our only chance."  
  
The Pikachu nodded, and hopped over to the two comatose figures. "Chuuu."  
  
Ash thought for a minute. "I...I guess there was a road back there a little..." He looked north. "I've got to hurry....bye Pikachu! Wish me luck."  
  
"Kaaa," Pikachu said sadly, and watched his distraught friend run off again.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
The wait seemed to last forever.  
  
'At least I got her here,' Ash thought. 'At least she has a chance.'  
  
Pikachu had fallen asleep in the chair next to Ash's; the waiting room was full of the noises of ringing phones and talking people. Ash had tuned himself out. All he could really think about was how all this was his fault.  
  
"Ash Ketchem?"  
  
Ash jumped. "Huh?! Oh." It was a Doctor...Misty's Doctor.  
  
He sat down on Ash's other side. "She's in intensive care," he told him. "She could go either way."  
  
Ash nodded. "She... might make it, right?"  
  
"Yes, she may. She's fragile right now, though; this is a critical stage. But, at least you were able to get her here before her condition got any worse."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
The Doctor changed the subject quickly. "Your other friend— Brock. He's doing pretty well. He had a bad case of the flu, but we've given him some medication and he's doing good."  
  
"That's good," Ash said abstractly.  
  
"I'll let you know when any changes occur," the Doctor informed Ash. "We'll do all we can for Misty."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
All night Ash waited. He waited, not knowing what to expect, except that if Misty didn't live, he couldn't forgive himself.  
  
At last, the Doctor came out and spoke to Ash again.  
  
"You can see her now."  
  
He guided Ash down a hallway, and into a room with a closed window and machines all around.  
  
"She's stable, but from what we're seeing...she may not wake up soon."  
  
Ash walked to the girl's bedside. "What?"  
  
"She's in a coma."  
  
That was quite a blow to Ash. She wasn't going to wake up, then?! She was alive, but she couldn't even talk to him?  
  
"When will she wake up, Doctor?" Ash's voice sounded afraid.  
  
"We don't know. Maybe tomorrow, maybe not at all."  
  
"Oh..." He kneeled by her side. What had he done? "Misty, I'm sorry," he whispered. "But.... you're alive." He found himself crying again. "Oh, I'll make it up to you, Misty. I won't leave you."  
  
  
=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=  
  
  
Misty was staring at Ash, still seated in the chair. Tears were again welling up in her eyes. Had he really gone through all that for her?   
  
"Ash... I had no idea... you've been here the whole time."  
  
Ash nodded. "I wanted to keep my promise, and...I was worried about you."  
  
Misty couldn't believe her ears. Ash had gone through more than she had in those couple of years! And yet, after he told her about all this, she felt like she was still in the dark.  
  
"Ash, what happened after that? I mean, after I was unconscious for a while."  
  
"You were so far from— from Cerulean, and Pallet," Ash began. "I wanted to stay close to you, and even though you were sent home to Cerulean for a while, they decided that you would be safer under a Doctor's care. I guess they thought something could happen...they were scared. They moved you to a hospital that was kinda close to Pallet and Cerulean, so I was able to see you almost every day. I lived at home. I didn't want to leave again; I didn't feel right doing that.  
  
"You were in stable condition then. But they told me that they thought your heart might stop if you weren't monitored. They kept giving you all this medicine on IVs and stuff; they fed you through IVs, too. I always felt bad about that, because I remembered how much you liked to scarf down ice cream, and you couldn't." He smiled; Misty smirked at him, but it was hard to hide her playful smile.  
  
"I can barely remember ice cream..." she said wistfully. "I wouldn't mind some..."  
  
Ash laughed. "Neither would I, to be honest."  
  
"You still eat like you used to, then, don't you?"  
  
They both had a laugh for a minute.  
  
Misty looked at Ash again, thinking of all he'd done for her. It must still hurt him to feel so at blame. "Ash," she said seriously, "I want you to know I'm very flattered that you did all that you did for me. But you've got to realize that I do forgive you. You've more than payed me back with what you've been through, and I don't want you to blame yourself for this."  
  
Ash stood up from his chair, and sat on Misty's bed gently. "Misty, I thought about just leaving you in the hospital. Really, I wanted to not feel guilty about it, but I always acted like I had hated you when we were traveling— I wanted to prove somehow that I didn't, even if...if you didn't wake up."  
  
Misty wished that she could somehow pay Ash back for what he had given her, but he didn't seem to feel too bad about his ordeal now. It was like just the knowledge that she was awake was good enough for him. But she couldn't get passed the fact that he had become mad with himself when she was the one who had run off like a stupid little child. She'd done this to herself, and Ash had payed for it. He'd sacrificed the thing that had always been his number one priority— his Pokemon training. Then, suddenly, Misty had become his priority. He couldn't have done a sweeter thing.  
  
"Misty, you look exhausted. I really think you should sleep for a bit."  
  
"What? Ash, I've been asleep for almost three years!" She had to laugh at his suggestion. "I've already tried to sleep, anyway. Its... hard."  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, but you've been through a lot just today. I think you should at least try to rest, OK?" He looked at her convincingly.  
  
Misty gave in. "OK, I'll try."  
  
"Thanks. Maybe... maybe we can talk more later."  
  
"I'd like that," Misty said.  
  
She settled down in her bed and Ash left, turning off the light.  
  
After he was gone, Misty found it hard to get her mind off of all the events she'd just heard about. But when, at last, she did drift off, her dreams were surprisingly pleasant.  
  
  
  
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...To Be Continued.... 


	3. Reflections

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 3  
________________  
  
  
Misty's eyes slowly opened. It was almost like a relief that they did, too; she felt a bit paranoid that maybe she wouldn't wake up again.  
  
She looked up from her pillow, and leaned on her elbow. The window, though the curtains on it were drawn, was light with sunshine. Misty knew that it was the morning.  
  
'I guess Ash was right,' Misty thought, 'it does feel good to get some real sleep.'  
  
And she did feel a bit better— she felt far less shock and exhaustion today, and she was glad to just be alive and awake.  
  
A few minutes later, Misty heard the door opening slowly, and Ash entered the room with a tray in his hands. She smiled to great him.  
  
"Oh, you're up already!" He smiled back at her, and set the tray down by the flowers on her bed side table.   
  
"Good morning," she told him.  
  
"You seem much happier today," he observed. "Last night, you went to sleep and stayed asleep all night! I looked in on you once to see if you were awake, but you weren't."  
  
"Thanks," Misty said, "I feel much better today, though."  
  
"I thought you would." He motioned to the tray on the table. "I brought you some breakfast— the Doctor told me it'd be OK if you eat a little, but not too many solids."  
  
Ash helped Misty sit up in her bed and put the tray before her. She could already smell scents that she hadn't experienced for a very long time.  
  
"I hope it's OK— eggs, applesauce and orange juice."  
  
"Oh... thank you, Ash!" Misty was delighted by his gesture. "I _am_ feeling pretty hungry."  
  
Ash sat by her and helped her eat; her attempts at it were a little shaky yet. From the moment that the food hit her tongue, she felt an amazing sensation. Her mouth was full of delicious flavor, tastes that Misty had long forgotten. She would have loved to eat every crumb on her plate had her stomach not started to ache.  
  
"It's OK," Ash told her when acted ashamed about rejecting the rest of breakfast, "you're not used to it." He put the tray aside.  
  
Misty looked at her friend's face, and great compassion grew in her from the very sight of him. "So, um, Ash; you really tried to see me every day you could?" Misty couldn't help but have Ash confirm this. She felt so flattered by the fact that he'd do it, and wanted him to tell her that he really had.  
  
"You make it sound like I'm a super hero or something," Ash said. "It's just that I promised that I'd stay with you, and I did. I tried to see you almost every day."  
  
Misty didn't let herself smile, but in her own mind she was cheering.  
  
Misty looked over to the window again, thinking. "Ash?" she asked, "Could you open the window for me?"  
  
He looked at her. "Yeah, sure."  
  
He stood up and walked to the window. As he drew aside the curtain, light cascaded into the small room, turning the walls and floor into a bright, glowing white. He proceeded to open the window as far as it would go, which was only a few inches (given it was a hospital window). It was enough, however, to let a draft of chill air into the room.  
  
As much as Misty despised the cold, this felt refreshing to her. As Ash moved aside, she gazed out the window, her eyes still adjusting to the new light.  
  
A tree outside the window shone a reddish-orange. Misty watched as a soft gust rustled several leaves loose from it, and blew them off, out of view, in a lazy breeze.  
  
"Autumn," she said softly. "It's so pretty."  
  
Ash nodded, looking out as well. "I like the fall. I guess I just like walking with all the different colors around me, and going through a pile of rustling leaves on someone's lawn. It's such a cool feeling."  
  
"I wish I could..."  
  
Ash gazed down at her. "You will, soon. You'll be able to get up, and walk, I'm sure of it."  
  
"I will?"  
  
"I know it. In fact, the Doctor told me you're starting therapy soon. That should make a big difference."  
  
Misty nodded. She hadn't even tried walking yet, but she was sure that it would be a challenge.  
  
"So, you wanna do something, Misty?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, well, like what?"  
  
"I dunno...I've got some playing cards. Remember how to play any games? Go fish?"  
  
Misty giggled softly. "I think so."  
  
Ash smiled, and began to deal out the cards. They played for several minutes before the Doctor came in.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"So, how's my patient today?" the Doctor asked, walking in the door with the regular clipboard in hand..  
  
"Pretty good," Misty told him, looking up from her cards.  
  
"Glad to hear it." He began to examine the machines as usual.  
  
Misty went back to the game, asking Ash if he had any 4's.   
  
"Misty," the Doctor began a minute later, after he had finished his examination, "we think that today is a good day for you to begin some therapy. It'll help your body become stronger and soon you'll be able to leave the hospital if all goes as planned."  
  
Misty glanced up from her hand again. "Oh? Starting today?"  
  
"Yes. Would it be OK if a nurse sent for you at about ten O'clock to take you to the therapy center? That's half an hour."  
  
"Er, yeah, that's OK," Misty responded, slightly puzzled.  
  
"Good. See you then, Misty." The Doctor quickly finished with the machines, and left the room.  
  
"Therapy?" Misty asked, uncertain. "Am I ready for that?"  
  
"You said that you wanted to walk again, Misty— this will help you. Any Kings?"  
  
"Go Fish," Misty answered. "I guess you're right, Ash, but I still feel pretty weak."  
  
Ash drew a card. "I know you well enough, and you not only threatened me and Brock almost every day with a mallet on my journey, but you also lived through a two and a half year coma. You'll be strong enough. Your turn."  
  
But Misty had set her cards down.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Misty looked up quickly. "Ash, I just thought of it— Brock."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Well, what happened to him, I mean, after he got better?"  
  
Ash put his cards down as well. "Hmm. Well, I told him that I wasn't going to go traveling any more, and he told me that he understood and even came to see you for a while."  
  
Misty nodded slowly.  
  
"And after that, he decided that even though he cared about you, he felt like he had to pursue his dream to become a Pokemon breeder. He left pretty soon after that."  
  
"So, where is he now?" Misty asked curiously.  
  
Ash shrugged. "I'm not positive anymore, but we can be sure that were ever there's a Nurse Joy, he's not far off."  
  
Misty laughed. It felt so good to be laughing again...it was almost like she was being pulled out of the dark nightmare that was her life. She had Ash to thank for that.  
  
"And, how's Ms. Ketchem?" she went on a moment later.  
  
Ash smiled. "Mom? Yeah, she's OK. She was really sad about what happened to you, pretty shaken, actually, but she's better. She really wants to see you soon."  
  
"Great!" Misty was beginning to think of all the people that she had known before— her mind had been too confused and cluttered to remember them earlier.  
  
"How about Gary Oak?"  
  
He cringed a little. "It's been a long time... but my last memory was...was having him come by the hospital one day. He said he heard about you. But then; arrgh, he has so much nerve— he asked me to battle! I couldn't believe he would ask me to do something like that when you had gone into a coma. I got pretty mad at him... he just left. Haven't seen him since— but that's fine with me."  
  
Misty shook her head. "Figures that he'd want to fight you at a time like that." She thought hard again. "Oh! What about Professor Oak?"  
  
"He's...fine...but he's been acting a little strange... like, around my Mom. I think they know something I don't."  
  
Misty giggled. Ash had grown a lot, yes, but three years ago, even Misty had known for a fact the Professor Oak and Ms. Ketchem had a thing for each other.  
  
"What happened to my Pokemon, anyway?" she said suddenly.  
  
"Oh, your Pokemon. They're back at Cerulean Gym, with your sisters. They've been taking care of them."  
  
"Oh, good!" Misty was truly glad. Somehow, it felt nice to know that she still owned something that she had had before her coma.  
  
"...and what about Pikachu?"  
  
The door opened.  
  
"Oh, it's time already?" Misty said to Ash.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
A nurse entered with a wheel chair. Ash and she lifted Misty into it slowly from her bed.  
  
"Thanks," Misty said to Ash. "Can...can you come with me, Ash?"  
  
Ash shook his head. "I don't think they'd want me to do that. But don't worry— I'll come back later. I mean, if you want."  
  
"Yes, I do," Misty told him quickly.  
  
As the nurse wheeled Misty out the door, she waved goodbye to her friend.  
  
Strange as it was, she could hardly stand the thought of *not* being with him.  
  
  
  
  
....To Be Continued... 


	4. Therapy

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 4  
________________  
  
  
  
The Nurse pushed Misty through a hallway, past many other rooms, on their way to the Therapy Center. Misty looked around at the doorways, and, finding she could get a peek inside, she observed the people within. She watched as she was quickly pushed by them— some patients were young like she was, while others looked much older. None of them looked happy.  
  
The antiseptic smell was far more intense out here than it had been in Misty's room. There were Nurses and Doctors alike, bustling by Misty, some with trays and things in hand, and some others with patients with them. She even saw a couple of patients being wheeled in on stretchers, looking grave and unmoving. Misty had been like them, once.  
  
They reached the elevator (Misty recognized that it was an elevator, but it took her a moment to remember), and Misty was pushed inside. The Nurse pressed a button, the door closed, and Misty could feel herself moving steadily downward.  
  
'Funny...I can hardly remember actually riding in one of these. . .' She watched the floor buttons periodically light up and fade again. She hadn't realized that her room had been that many floors up.  
  
There was a ding, and as soon as the door opened, Misty was taken across another hallway and into a room with a blue door.  
  
Misty's chair was guided through the doorway and into a large room. Misty looked around.  
  
Most of the floor was covered in pale blue padding, as well as some of the walls, and there was equipment all about the room. There were bars that stuck from the ground like parallel balance beams, and several weight benches by the wall. There were also some smaller dumbbells in the corner. There was other gear, too, and Misty also noticed a couple of doors on the east wall.  
  
Misty's Doctor was waiting near the middle of the room next to a lady that Misty didn't recognize. He waved, looking cheerful as usual.  
  
"Are you ready to start, Misty?" he asked as the Nurse wheeled her closer.  
  
Doubt nagged at her. "I. . . I don't know. Do I really have a choice?"  
  
The Doctor smiled. "Well, if you really don't want to, I guess you don't have to. We can't force you, after all."  
  
Misty *didn't* want to, but then, she kept thinking of how Ash had convinced her that it was for her own good. She would take his advice, she would do that for him.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
"Good!" The Doctor gestured to the lady standing by him. "This is Dr. Johnson, and she's your therapist. I'm not sure what you'll start out doing, but she'll know how to best help you."  
  
"Okay..."  
  
"Hello, Misty," Dr. Johnson said cordially. She was a small, thin lady with blonde hair barely to her shoulders. "So, shall we get started?"  
  
"Go right on ahead," Misty's Doctor said. "See you later."  
  
The Doctor and Nurse left the room.  
  
  
* * * *   
  
Misty had been expecting the therapist to make her try to get up and walk right away, but that wasn't at all the case. Instead, she took Misty to one of the rooms on the eat wall.  
  
Inside, Misty was pushed up to a small desk.  
  
"We're going to start out with a fairly simple and un-aerobic today," Dr. Johnson stated. She placed a pencil and a piece of paper down on the desk. "You're going to start with your hand coordination."  
  
'Hand coordination?' Misty thought. 'Well, I guess I've got to start somewhere.'  
  
"OK, then, shall we? Will you write for me on that paper the whole alphabet, lower and upper cases? Take all the time you need."  
  
Misty found herself thinking for a moment. Yes, she still knew the alphabet, but it felt as if her mind had stuck it back somewhere in a pile of useless things, like she wouldn't need it anymore.  
  
It did come to her, though, flying back like a boomerang. She positioned her pencil in her hand, and attempted tp write the letters down on the paper.  
  
It didn't come as easily as she had anticipated. Her fingers were like stubs on her shaky hand, and she felt like she was merely judging where on the paper her letters would end up. Mostly, she missed the lines, and she knew that this was about the poorest penmanship she'd ever written in. At least she could remember all the letters, though— in order, too.  
  
Finally, several minutes later, she finished her task. Dr. Johnson nodded, barely inspecting her work, and then directed her to do it again with her non-dominant hand.  
  
Misty wanted to complain, but figured that the sooner she did it, the sooner she'd see Ash again.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
About an hour later, Misty was taken from the Therapy Center and to another room— a bathroom. The Nurse told her that Misty was going to get a bath before returning to her room.  
  
After Misty had been undressed, a Nurse immersed her into a tub of pleasantly warm water. Misty didn't exactly approve of the idea of someone else helping her bathe, but it felt so good to be clean, she found that she hardly cared.  
  
The water seemed to cleanse her, feeling as if to wash away the dirt of nearly three years from her body, making Misty feel new and invigorated. She loved the smell of the lavender shampoo in her hair, and the silky soap bubbles that floated against her skin. She'd forgotten how good a bath could feel.  
  
Afterwards, she was dried off in a huge, fluffy white towel and put in fresh clothes. She was then taken back to her room, where she found that her sheets had been changed.  
  
It all felt very good and refreshing. But, as soon as she was placed in her bed again, she remembered Ash automatically. She could think of nothing else, staring at the door of her empty room.  
  
Minutes later, Misty found herself sitting in bed, picking idly at the food that a Nurse had just brought, when the door opened again.  
  
She jolted upright, and stared at the door again, very intently.  
  
"Oh! Dear, it's so wonderful to see you!"  
  
Ms. Ketchem.  
  
Misty relaxed. "Oh, hello, Ms. Ketchem." She wanted to ask right off where Ash was, but decided that would be a bit rude.  
  
The small brunette lady rushed over to Misty. "Well, haven't you changed! I can't believe it's been all these years!" She gave Misty a hug.  
  
"Thanks..."  
  
Ash's mom drew back, and looked at Misty's face. "Misty, sweetie, you look a little sad. Ash was just saying how much better you were feeling! Well, I do understand. Hospitals aren't all that fun, now are they?"  
  
Misty nodded. "Yeah, well, I'm just tired. I just had therapy and stuff." She didn't want to act disappointed, but she'd been aching to talk to Ash.  
  
"Oh, yes. It's just been _such_ a long time. I'm afraid I've been so wrapped up in things that I haven't had time at all lately to see you. But oh, since I saw you last, you've grown to be a very pretty girl! I should have come more often."  
  
Pretty? Misty didn't even know what she looked like anymore. She wondered. . .  
  
"Well, anyway— I've got to be on my way now. I'm meeting Professor Oak for a— er, I mean, I need to iron my, um, couch....yeah...." She smiled nervously and waved goodbye to Misty.  
  
Ms. Ketchem rose and went to the door, but before leaving, she added, "And Ash is coming in a few minutes, by the way. Toodles!" She left.  
  
Misty sighed. She really did wonder how different she looked now, but she didn't see a single mirror in the room. It was a strange feeling, not knowing what she looked like. Her own image of her old self in her head was even vague. All she really knew now was that her hair was still damp and her hands ached.   
  
A few minutes passed by. Which, as she lay down a little, reminded Misty that she didn't even know what day it was, or even for sure what month. With time's passage, exactly how much had the world outside of this room changed?  
  
"Hey, Misty."  
  
Ash had entered. Misty shot up, and smiled at her friend.  
  
"What's up?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, just thinking."  
  
Ash looked at her knowingly, but also as ie he wished she'd let him in on her thoughts, but didn't mention it.  
  
"Well, anyway, I brought you something."  
  
"You...did?" She hadn't noticed that he had something behind his back.  
  
"Yes— here. I thought It'd make you feel better."  
  
He held out to her a backpack, bright red, with one strap and several things inside of it. Misty looked at it for several moments, and then recognized it as her own.   
  
"My...my backpack!" Misty cried joyfully.  
  
"Yeah... it was at the Cerulean Gym. I went there today to get it, because I thought you might enjoy having it again."  
  
Misty's eyes were sparkling. She took the bag from Ash, and she ran her fingers over it slowly. "I remember it...I wore it almost everywhere I went! It was always over my shoulder..."  
  
"Go ahead and open it," Ash suggested.  
  
Misty undid the top and pulled the backpack open. She mindfully unloaded it's contents onto her bed.  
  
There were many things inside. Most of them, Misty realized, were just old junk. There was some paper, a notebook, a candy bar, candy wrappers, a little cash, and a brush among other things. But what really interested Misty were the red and white balls that rolled out of the bag and into her lap.  
  
It hardly took Misty any time to know what they were. "My Pokemon!!"  
  
Ash was smiling.  
  
"They're here! I can't believe it! And they're really mine, too!" She felt a surge of happiness go through her frame, and she hugged the balls to her. "Thank you, Ash! You're the sweetest!"  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"I wish I could open them right now!"  
  
"I know. But this hospital really disapproves of people letting their Pokemon out while inside, especially around patients. I don't know why, but I was lucky I could convince them to let me bring Pikachu in—" He stopped dead.  
  
"Ash?"  
  
He was holding his breath. "It's...nothing. Nevermind."  
  
Misty was growing suspicious. "Ash, what happened to Pikachu? You never told me before."  
  
"Just don't worry about him, Misty."  
  
"But Ash," she persisted, "you _have_ to tell me!"  
  
"I... I don't know... if I..." He wasn't looking at her anymore.  
  
"Come on, Ash! Maybe you can sneak him in here, because I'd love to see him! Can I? Please?"  
  
Ash looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "No, you can't. He's gone, Misty."  
  
It was Misty's turn to be breathless.  
  
"Gone?"  
  
Ash wasn't moving. "Yes...he's gone."  
  
Misty saw more tears of pain and anguish slide from his eyes, and he let out a sob. Misty, regretting her insistence, pulled him to her like a hurt child.   
  
"Ash, I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I didn't know..." She held onto him, confused, and her mind went over all the things that could have happened to Pikachu during the years she had been asleep.  
  
  
  
____________________________________________________  
...To Be Continued... 


	5. The Tradgedy

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 5  
________________  
  
  
All Misty could do was wait and ponder as Ash tried to pull himself together. And, since Misty didn't know what had happened, she didn't know how to further console him.  
  
Ash rose his head, inhaling slowly, and wiped tears from his red face. "Sorry...it still... I guess it still... gets to me..." He sniffed quietly, and let his breath out again.  
  
Misty wanted to further her questioning, but she knew that she shouldn't force Ash into explaining it. It obviously hurt him— Ash didn't just start *crying* like this. . .  
  
But then, what *had* happened to Pikachu?  
  
"Ash?" Misty ventured carefully, "Are you...okay?"  
  
He nodded, and tried to smile. "I'm really sorry, Misty. Sorry for...bawling like that...but I understand why you want to know. And I wasn't thinking about it before, but you deserve to know what happened..."  
  
'Deserve to know?' thought Misty. The hurt in his voice as he said it... Misty almost wished that she'd never asked about Pikachu.  
  
Ash struggled to speak, and at last he managed to make his voice work. "Well, Pikachu...he....he was taken away from me."  
  
"Taken? Who took him, Ash?"  
  
"...Team Rocket."  
  
Whoa! Did he mean...  
  
"JESSIE AND JAMES!?!?! They actually SUCCEEDED!?"   
  
Ash shook his head hastily. "No, no— not Jessie and James. Are you kidding?" he *almost* smiled again. "No... it was some other members, I know that for a fact. I guess they took the assignment from Jessie and James to get... to get Pikachu, because they kept on failing. But these guys actually pulled it off." Ash was so still, Misty thought that *he'd* gone into a coma.  
  
"Do you know who they were, though? I mean, can you still get Pikachu back? Misty seemed hopeful.  
  
"There's more to the story than that," Ash went on sadly. "They took him one night, after you had been down for a month or two, and I was pretty depressed. I had him with me, of course, and we were at the bus stop because we were going to go home for a while, to see my mom and stuff in Pallet.   
  
"We sat down on the bench to wait, and these two Team Rocket members in black came up from behind us. Pikachu could sense them, I bet... but I didn't even notice him. I was really out of it, I remember...  
  
"But one of them grabbed me and gagged my mouth, while the other one got Pikachu...gave him a tranquilizer and stuck him in a Pokeball. I don't know how they did it, exactly— Pikachu always got away before. But, I guess he didn't have the chance to even *try* a thundershock— neither of us were sure of what was happening.   
  
"While they were dealing with Pikachu, though, they gave *me* a tranquilizer, too...then they tied me up. I couldn't even put up a fight..."   
  
Misty's face was becoming hot with anger, but at the same time, she felt her eyes filling with warm tears...  
  
Another sob nearly escaped Ash, but he choked it back. "When I woke up, I was still... still tied up, but they had hidden me in an ally behind a dumpster. I yelled for a while, and Officer Jenny found me after an hour or something. She took me in for questioning and to write up a report...but she said there wasn't much they could do. Not against Team Rocket. And the crime had taken place about 12 hours before. There was no way of knowing where the Team Rocket members had gone, and when."  
  
Misty was freely crying by this point.  
  
Ash went on solemnly. "They never caught them. Officer Jenny told me to just go home, that it was useless, but I remember that I was so angry, I couldn't imagine letting Team Rocket get away with it. I caught a bus and went straight to the Team Rocket HQ...yeah, that was really stupid, but I...I was so mad. I had to run a lot of the way there, to the actual HQ, but I was even able to get passed a few guards. But when I got a little farther it was no use. They got me almost right off, and I was crying and yelling for my Pikachu back as they dragged me off. I got pretty violent, but they were still able to throw me out, and that was that. I had to go home."  
  
Misty wiped the tears from her face with her sheets. "But...Ash, what if he's... still there?"  
  
"No, Misty... I remember the day perfectly— I was just out in my front yard, and two familiar people and a Meowth rode up on bikes. Yeah, it was Jessie and James, and they said they had a message for me, and they didn't look too happy. It was something they had found out, they told me. They said that...that they had heard all about Pikachu. They told me that Team Rocket had been doing tests on Pikachu, and he wouldn't submit. He didn't eat, he didn't move, he didn't even respond to them. Then, he just *died*...died of sadness instead of letting them use him. He knew he couldn't get away, so he...died...." Ash let himself cry again, not bothering to wipe away the tears that moistened his face. "Jessie and James...they felt bad for me, even. At least— at least that's how they acted. They weren't even a part of it, but. . ."  
  
Ash shook his head sadly. "At least I--I can't blame *them*! I don't know who to blame, I don't care-- Pikachu's gone, and I'll never see him-- " He started to sob, and Misty, still crying as well, pulled Ash to her again and hugged him close. She couldn't believe that Ash's only remaining friend had been so cruelly taken away from him...and killed.  
  
'Ash didn't deserve this,' Misty thought as she gently caressed his back, 'no one deserves to have their lives ruined like that.'  
  
Misty couldn't ask another question; she didn't even want to speak. She didn't think that words could help Ash right now.  
  
Instead, Misty gently pulled Ash down beside her on the bed, still holding him close to her, and they both slowly cried each other to sleep.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Misty woke up to the afternoon sun casting light over her bed. She felt Ash at her side, her arms still around him, and she sighed quietly. She felt so close to him...she only wished that she could fix all the damage done in his life.  
  
He stirred slightly. Misty rose a little, and gently rubbed his arm. He moved, and opened hi eyes, turning to look at her.  
  
"Hi, Ash..." Misty said softly.  
  
Ash smiled, though very faintly, and whispered back, "Thank you, Misty."  
  
"Thanks? For... what, exactly?"  
  
"For comforting me, and all. It's just hard to talk about...it..."  
  
"That's okay, Ash. But thanks for telling me. It's a terrible thing, but I'm glad that now I at least know about it."  
  
"You needed to find out," Ash told her lightly. "I'm just sorry I got all choked up about it..."  
  
Misty hugged him gently. "Ash, don't be sorry. I understand how much Pikachu meant to you...and, he meant a lot to me, too." Misty was afraid that Ash could start crying again...she hated to see him cry...but he didn't. He slowly rose up from Misty's side, sitting up on the bed, and he helped Misty up as well.   
  
As if on cue, Misty's Doctor entered the room.  
  
"Oh, you're still here," he said to Ash. "It's time for Misty's medication."  
  
Ash nodded. "OK. Misty...I should probably check home, take a shower and stuff. I'll be back here for dinner, OK?"  
  
Misty nodded. She really wanted for him to stay, but she understood that he wasn't feeling well. "Okay, Ash...just come back."  
  
What happened next was a pretty big surprise for Misty. Ash looked at her, leaned over, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I promise."  
  
Misty nodded as if she were in a trance, and waved goodbye to Ash.  
  
"Bye..."  
  
He left the room. Misty stared at the door, dazed, for several moments until the Doctor handed her a glass of water.  
  
  
  
__________________  
...To Be Continued... 


	6. Visitors

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 6  
________________  
  
  
Misty swallowed her pills, feeling slightly embarrassed for she knew that she was blushing, and handed the glass back to the Doctor quickly.  
  
He smiled at her, as always. "That Ash; he's a pretty good kid." He must have sensed what Misty was thinking.   
  
She nodded, perhaps a little too eagerly. "Oh, yeah, right," she said, trying to cover up for herself.  
  
The Doctor laughed quietly and left the room.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Misty sat in bed, staring fixedly at the wall before her. She wished that there was at least wallpaper on it— then she would have lines or dots to count. But white was all there was.  
  
'Well, I'm officially bored,' she thought. 'There's just nothing to *do*'. She settled down on her back, and gazed up at the ceiling. 'One tile, two tiles, three tiles...' Waiting for Ash to come back to her was like a child awaiting a promised treat.  
  
Misty also knew that if she let her mind wander, she'd think of Pikachu. She'd see in her mind's eye all that Ash had been through, and she'd see Pikachu slowly deteriorating in a cell at the Team Rocket HQ. She didn't want to remember the story that Ash had just told. The sorrow was still with her now, the story fresh in her mind.  
  
It was strange, though; she was grieved by all the terrible things in Ash's life, but the thing that made her feel better *was* Ash.  
  
And where was he?  
  
"I'm such a nuisance,' Misty told herself, 'Ash tries to see me everyday that I'm in a coma, and now that I'm awake, I still want him here 24/7...wait a minute! What happened to *him* being the nuisance; the annoying brat?'  
  
Misty almost giggled. She didn't see him that way now, not at all. He had...he had *feelings* now.  
  
'What's *wrong* with me?! Must I *always* think of Ash?!'  
  
But she knew the answer was yes. She honestly *liked* thinking about him...  
  
A Nurse came in, food tray in hand, and Misty sat up once again to eat dinner. She didn't *feel* hungry, though...  
  
Misty ate most of it, however, knowing that Ash would have told her to had he been present.  
  
'Argh, thinking of him again...'  
  
She found herself putting her fork down, and the Nurse took the tray away. The room was empty again.  
  
Misty folded her arms and looked at her room again; no one had bothered to close the window shades.  
  
The sky outside was absolutely clear, crisp and cold, as far as she could see. The tree, which must be far taller than Misty had imagined, was still alive with colorful leaves. Misty wished she could climb it, and sit at the very top in the breeze...  
  
'That's naive,' she told herself, 'I'm too...too old to climb trees and stuff like that...'  
  
Funny, though...just a couple of days ago, she didn't even *know* she was too old for those sorts of things. . .  
  
In her head, it was like there was a battle between her child self and her teenage self. One side was begging her to go outside and play, to run in the leaves and dally in the mud. But the other side was persuading her to do more refined things, telling her to be mature and act that way. She wasn't sure which path to follow now...but she figured that she should try to be older, or at least to act that way.  
  
And now, with that in mind, Misty's eyes looked the room over once more, this time seeing something that she had missed before.  
  
There was a small white cabinet on the wall straight in front of her. Well, she'd seen *that* before, but she'd never noticed that the door was ajar. And it was opened just enough for her to see what was inside of it— a few paper cups, a box or two, and a small, blue hand mirror.  
  
"Mirror!" Excitement filled her. Yes, it really was a mirror, one like she had wanted in her possession for days.  
  
Misty almost made the mistake of jumping out of bed. It occurred to her, though, that she might never get up again if she tried that.  
  
She was determined, however, and she threw her blankets aside. She rolled onto her stomach, and began crawl across her bed and to the cabinet.  
  
It was strange, trying to crawl; it was more like she was dragging her body with her elbows over the length of the bed. It worked, though, and all she needed was to get to the cabinet...  
  
She reached the end of the bed and heaved herself to it, looking over the edge determinedly. If she stretched far enough, she would be able to reach the door, at least...  
  
She extended her left arm, at the same time moving forward a bit with her other arm. She reached to the door, opening it further, and strained more to grasp the mirror. The handle was so close now...she touched it, and pulled it to her a little. The handle was now hanging over the shelf just a tad. She moved closer still, and groped for it again, making contact. . .  
  
She pulled at it, but perhaps a little too hard, for it fell from the cabinet and onto the floor.  
  
Misty cringed, expecting to hear the sound of glass shattering, but she heard none. Amazingly, she saw the mirror there, lying face-up on the floor.  
  
Misty swallowed, looking over the edge of the bed, and at the mirror on the ground. A face appeared...  
  
She pulled back, almost scared to see herself. But she took a deep breath and forced herself to look over again.  
  
She slowly peeked over the bed, and the face returned.   
  
There she was, pale skin, pink lips, orange-red hair that fell unbound beyond her shoulders. Her eyes were deep, azure blue, looking scared and curious, blinking nervously in what seemed to be unbelief. She had a touch of rose on her cheeks, and her eye brows were arched in interest.  
  
Misty stared at her own face in shock. Yes, she looked as she had remembered, but there were those subtle characteristics that were new. She looked...older, even if she couldn't place why...  
  
She reached back and clutched her bright hair. She felt it in her hands, soft, curled at the end of each lock. It was long— it went over her shoulders, down her back....why had she never even noticed?  
  
She heard the door.  
  
Misty shot up, surprised, and saw a face that she liked much better than her own.  
  
Ash.  
  
"Misty..." he said, surveying the situation. Misty was still on her stomach, looking over at the mirror. "What's going on? Are you okay?" He set down a bag he had been carrying and went to her.  
  
"I'm fine. Ash..."  
  
He helped her to sit up again. Then, he saw the mirror on the floor.  
  
"Misty, what's going on?" he asked as he picked up the hand mirror and set it on the bed. "What were you doing...?"   
  
Misty wasn't sure how to explain, nor did she want to get into it. "Nothing. Just dropped it."  
  
Ash looked suspicious and a little concerned. "OK...maybe it's nothing, but... even if it is, I don't want to pry."   
  
Misty had no clue what to say.  
  
"Well, um...Ash, are you doing...better?"  
  
He gave a slight smile. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine...thanks for asking. I just needed to relax for a while." Misty sighed quietly...at least she had changed the subject...  
  
"Anyway," Ash went on, a bit carefully, "I went by a store and got a couple things..." He took the bag and brought it to the bed.  
  
He removed first a bouquet flowers— yellow daisies with ferns and baby's breath.   
  
"I think it's time to replace the other ones," he said, and put the fresh flowers in the vase by Misty's bed.  
  
Misty was enchanted. "Thank you, Ash," she said amidst the beginnings of a blush. They *were* beautiful...  
  
"And, best of all..." he reached back into the bag and took from it a small carton. "Sherbet."  
  
Misty's eyes widened. Oh, she recognized it, all right...ice cream— her favorite food!  
  
"Ash!! You...you brought me ice cream!" She took the cold container from him and held it in her hands. "Oh, it looks great! Thank you!"  
  
Ash dug into the bag and handed her a spoon from it. Misty readily took it, plunged into the creamy stuff and took a bite. It was a wonderful explosion of icy sweetness on her tongue, sending a chill down her throat and back as she swallowed it.  
  
"Mmmm..." She took several more spoonfuls. "It's delicious!" The flavor, she realized, was not only wonderful, but suddenly familiar. Ash smiled.  
  
"Oh, you want to share? Come on, go ahead..." Misty offered him the spoon.  
  
"Well, okay, sure." They took turns with the spoon, and they both savored the wonderful stuff.  
  
Needless to say, it wasn't too long before the small carton was completely empty. Ash put the carton aside and looked to Misty.  
  
"You tired?"  
  
"Um, a little, but not really." She was afraid that if she even hinted that she was sleepy, Ash might think he should leave. "But...don't go, okay?" The words slipped from her lips.  
  
"I won't go," Ash answered. "I love being here, with you."  
  
'"I love being here....with you..."' The words floated, echoing, though Misty's mind like a beautiful song. . .  
  
"I...I love having you here," she confessed. She could have sworn she saw him blush just then...  
  
She watched as Ash eyed the mirror lying on the bed again. He took it in his hands. "Misty...I know I said I wouldn't pry, but...will you tell me what you *were* doing with this, on the floor and all? Won't you tell me?" His eyes...so...convincing...  
  
Misty caved. "Well... I... I wanted to see what I looked like; I haven't even seen myself since... since I woke up..."  
  
Ash's face transformed into a look of understanding. "...Oh..." He acted like he wanted to say more, but...  
  
"Ash?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well... what do you think about me? I mean— have I changed a lot, really? Do I really look all pale and thin and— and— "  
  
Ash stopped her. "Misty, you're wrong. I think that you're pretty— beautiful. I always did, I just never said anything, you know? And now... now I think you're even more beautiful than ever..." He seemed shy, but then surprised Misty by lifting his hand and touching her fiery orange hair. "Don't start thinking differently, okay? No matter how bad things seem for you."  
  
She nodded as if in a trance again, captive to his deep, chestnut-brown eyes.  
  
"Ash," she said softly, "...I liked you, too— back then. And now I like you more. You've changed so much, and you're so caring..." She wasn't sure what else to say...maybe she had said too much already, but... she was so lost in his eyes...  
  
"...Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Ash looked down. "We were so stupid..." Misty nearly laughed.  
  
"I know."  
  
Misty found herself suddenly yawning, though not on purpose.  
  
"Hmm, so now you're tired," Ash said sneakily.  
  
"Oh, you caught me!" She giggled a little.  
  
"Aw, don't worry, you don't have to go to sleep unless you really are tired. I mean, not until you want to."  
  
"I am tired, I can't lie..." Misty sighed. "I probably should go to sleep soon..."  
  
"Well, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, if you want," Ash offered.  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, please..."  
  
She lay down under her covers, and she felt Ash wipe a strand of hair from her forehead.  
  
"...thanks..." she whispered, and she felt Ash take her hand as she drifted off into inevitable sleep.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Misty was surprised that, when she awoke, Ash was asleep in the chair beside her bed. She hadn't expected him to stay the night...  
  
She sighed contentedly. She couldn't stop the feeling rising up inside her... a feeling of acceptance, and... love?  
  
"Ash?" He looked so cute when he slept, she hated to wake him...  
  
Her friend opened his eyes quickly. "Huh? Oh...hey, Misty."  
  
Misty smiled. "Hey, yourself. So you fell asleep here?"  
  
"Naw. I decided to just stay...I don't know why, but..."  
  
"I'm glad you did...I hate being alone."  
  
A Nurse poked her head inside. "Um, Misty Waterflower? You have visitors."  
  
Misty was shocked. "Oh? I...I do?"  
  
"Yes— would you like me to send them in?"  
  
"S...sure."  
  
The Nurse departed.  
  
"Who would visit me?" Misty thought out loud. She started to think of faces again....  
  
"I'll go check it out," Ash offered.  
  
"Sure, please..."  
  
He rose, and left the room.  
  
Moments later, Misty heard a commotion of voices outside the door...like teenagers in a mall.  
  
The door bursted open, and the giddy voices grew loud as three young women entered...  
  
Misty's sisters.  
  
"Omigosh, Misty!!! We totally heard about you waking up and just *had* to see you!!"  
  
"Whoa...hi, guys! It's been...a while..." Misty surveyed her sisters, noting small differences here and there, but still they were easily recognized. Actually, they seemed quite the same as she remembered them...  
  
"Like, Misty! How *are* you? We were totally worried about you!" Her sisters sat all around her on the bed.  
  
"I'm okay...what about you?"  
  
"Oh, we're fine...like, we missed you tons. But right now, we're still doing shows and stuff at the Cerulean Gym, but we all have other jobs now. It's cool, though."  
  
Misty nodded. Her sister's voices were coming from all directions...  
  
"But...like, who's that cutie out there...with the black hair? Like, he's totally a babe! Where did you get a hold of that catch?" They all giggled, and Misty knew she was going red.  
  
"Don't...don't you remember him? That's Ash."  
  
They continued to giggle. 'It's great to know some people will never change,' Misty thought.  
  
"Like, the little shrimp that you denied was your boyfriend before, like, years ago? Like, he is *so* way cute now! Is he really your boyfriend? Huh?"  
  
Misty sighed.  
  
"Ooooh, I bet he *is*! And he's, like, even cuter than your fiancee, Daisy!"  
  
"*Violet*...like, SHUT UP!!"  
  
"Fiancee?" Misty asked.  
  
"Like, yeah! Daisy is totally engaged! Actually...I'm getting married, too!" They giggled again. "The only one of us who, like, *isn't* engaged is poor Lily over here."  
  
Lily huffed. "Like, whatever."  
  
"But, Misty, you *totally* should hook up with this Ash kid. He definitely has the hots for you, anyway. And you should see yourself. You've turned into a babe worthy and able to stop traffic! Like, we could almost let you do shows with us!"  
  
"Totally!"  
  
Misty's face was scarlet. "...eh..." She wished that they would leave already...  
  
"Well, Misty, we, like, have to go— 12 o'clock show! But we'll see you soon and catch up on everything then, mmmkay?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Like, totally bye!" They got up and waved, and Misty smiled weakly.  
  
"Oh, and, good luck with hot stuff over here!"  
  
They giggled their way out of the room.  
  
Misty heaved a very relieved sigh. Sure, she loved her sisters, but they had their moments.  
  
Ash entered the room again, looking confused.  
  
"Wow, that was fast," he observed.  
  
"Yeah, thank heavens..."  
  
"Well, they are pretty, um, giggle-y. They looked like they would fall over laughing when they walked by me. What is it with them?"  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
Misty's breakfast came, and she and Ash ate together. Ash told her about how her sisters had come to visit on weekends sometimes, and that almost every time, they were with guys.  
  
"Why am I *not* surprised?" Misty said breathlessly.  
  
Again, a Nurse peeked into Misty's room, but this time, she entered with a wheelchair.  
  
"Already? Argh, I can't wait 'til this is all over with!" She was exasperated, but accepting.  
  
Ash helped her into the chair. "I wish...I could go with..."  
  
At this, the Nurse shook her head. "No, sir, I'm sorry, but at this point, you'd just be a distraction. Things will go faster if she goes alone."  
  
Ash seemed annoyed at the response, but he didn't try to fight it. "Well... I'll be waiting here when you get back."  
  
"Thank you, Ash," Misty said. She held onto his hand until the Nurse had pushed her out of the room and into the busy hallway.  
  
  
  
__________________  
...To Be Continued... 


	7. Day With Ash

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 7  
________________  
  
Therapy started out about the same as it had before. Dr. Johnson had Misty write the numbers from one to ten with each hand, which didn't take more than a few minutes to accomplish. Then, she told Misty that they would begin arm exercises. Misty was happy for a change of activity.  
  
Dr. Johnson wheeled Misty out into the blue padded center and they stopped in a place where no one else would bother them.. Misty saw at least seven other people in the center, all doing different things either on machines or exercising with a therapists' help. To Misty, they all seemed stronger than her, but she also knew that she just needed practice.  
  
Dr. Johnson directed her to extend her arms straight out and move them from side to side. It was hard and even painful at the start, but by the end Misty could keep her arms up for several minutes without wavering.  
  
Misty was coming to realize that the strangest thing about therapy was that she was re- learning things she had known how to do all her life. Simple things— things she'd done idly since she was little, taken for granted. She'd never given a second thought to things like writing and moving around before.  
  
But Misty was doing well already, gaining strength that she had lost. In fact, Dr. Johnson let Misty lift some two-pound weights for a few minutes at the end of the session. She felt great about how she was progressing— on the second day of therapy, she had adequate penmanship and her arms were getting stronger.  
  
Therapy finished when a nurse returned, and Misty was taken away for a bath and change of clothes.  
  
True to his word, Ash was waiting diligently for Misty when she arrived at her room again that morning.  
  
She felt like giving him a warm hug, to run to him and thank him for every little thing he'd ever done for her, all the small joys that made her day. Just *seeing* him reminded her that even if she hated everything else in the whole world, there was one soul she would never dislike; one who could always bring a smile to her lips at the very sight of him.   
  
Even with all that exploding in her mind, however, she could do nothing more than give him a casual "Hello".  
  
"Did everything go Okay?" Ash asked her as he set down a Pokemon magazine he'd been looking at.  
  
"Yeah, things went pretty good..." She sat on her bed with a little help. "So, what've *you* been up to?"  
  
Ash shrugged. "Aw, just looking through this magazine...reading an interview with a young trainer. Kinda reminded me of myself a few years ago. I guess that's why I kept on reading...well, anyway, are you hungry?"  
  
Misty swallowed. The joy she had felt but a moment ago sunk away, and she was left thinking about how awful it was that Ash had ceased his own training because of her. He had tried so hard, throwing himself into the work of caring for his Pokemon, becoming the best...it was amazing how he had though little of anything else all that time of traveling and journeying, and then, in a matter of hours his life had turned sharply in another direction.  
  
"Misty?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Are— are you hungry?"  
  
"Oh..." She let out a silent, melancholy sigh. "Heh, sorry. Yeah, I'm a little hungry, I 'spose."  
  
Ash nodded. "Let me run and get you some lunch, then."  
  
"Yeah, sure...you won't be long?"  
  
"Only five minutes at the most. I'll make sure to get you something you'll like."  
  
Misty nodded, and Ash stood and left the room, smiling at her on the way out.   
  
Again, Misty sighed a quiet, mournful sigh. Deep in her heart, she hoped that he'd resume his training again...someday. He may have lost Pikachu, but his other Pokemon were still some of the best she'd ever known. Maybe he could leave again soon, when she was a little better. She'd be fine on her own, as long as she knew that Ash was happy....  
  
She felt her hair in her hand again, running her fingers through a lock of it like a comb as she thought. She saw her backpack hanging from a hook by her bed, and she took hold of it, pulling from it her hairbrush.   
  
She couldn't remember the last time that she'd brushed through her hair, but suddenly she felt like she needed to. As she attempted to reach back with the brush to get to her long locks, she realized that Ash had been gone for at least five minutes already...  
  
She split her hair into two sections and draped them over her shoulders. She found this a bit more manageable, and she slowly brushed the ends of her slightly damp hair.  
  
She had just started when Ash came back, his face seeming to almost beam.  
  
"Hey, Misty! I have a little surprise for you!" Misty jumped a little at his enthusiastic entrance.   
  
"What, Ash?"  
  
"Well, on my way down to the cafeteria, I ran into your Doctor and told him that I was getting you some lunch. Well, he told me that it'd be OK if you wanted me to take you down to the Cafeteria and eat there— and then he said I could take you outside for a little bit!"  
  
Misty broke a smile, too. "Really?! Wow..." It was the part about actually getting to leave the hospital that appealed most to her.  
  
"So— ya ready to go now?" He came closer.  
  
Misty looked at the brush in her hand. "Well, I...I was trying to brush my hair a little, but I'm not doing a very job— "  
  
"I'll help you— if you want," Ash offered.   
  
"Oh, sure," Misty answered, handing the brush to her friend. He took it, and sat down behind her. He took her red-orange hair in his hand— Misty felt a blush coming on— and he proceeded to gently brush through her soft locks.  
  
Misty felt a warm tingle come up her spine from his touch. She smiled wistfully, hoping that she wouldn't act as if she liked it, but... she *did*.  
  
He left her hair down, silky and smooth over her back, and set the brush on the bed. "That OK?"  
  
"Yeah, it's great. Thank you, Ash..."  
  
"So, you want to go now?"  
  
"Yes, I'd like that."  
  
Ash ran out for a wheelchair and returned again promptly, assisting Misty as she sat in it.  
  
He pushed her into the hallway, both of them seeming quite cheery, and they reached the elevator at the end of the hall.  
  
They arrived downstairs and Ash guided Misty down a hall on the left towards the cafeteria.  
  
  
"I wonder if it'll be anything like eating out," Misty mused.  
  
"I hope, because hospital food doesn't have the best reputation for being edible." He laughed.  
  
"I haven't ever really noticed," Misty said, "what I've eaten seems normal, but then, that's all I've tasted after three years. I don't remember hospital food tasting any different, though."  
  
They entered a large room with tables everywhere and people sitting at them. There were some smaller tables against the walls, and a sort of buffet with people serving out food.  
  
Ash wheeled Misty up to the counter, and she got a tray. They both went through the buffet, people in aprons serving them what they desired.  
  
After they had filled their plates, they decided to sit at a two person table against the wall.  
  
"What do you think?" Misty asked Ash as they began to eat.  
  
"Not bad, but definitely hospital food."  
  
The two laughed.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
"Which way now?" Ash asked as he quickly pushed Misty down the sidewalk. They had finished lunch, and Ash had taken Misty outside into a nearby park.  
  
"Oh— turn right!" Misty told him.  
  
The colors of autumn covered the park grounds. Everywhere Misty looked, she saw leaves scattered about the grass, and people in sweaters and jackets laughing and shouting, playing in piles of leaves. Misty, of course, had been wrapped in a blanket before being permitted to go out.  
  
The smell was wonderful. Instead of the squeaky clean, stuffy scent of the hospital, the air was brisk and fresh, filling Misty's lungs and causing her to feel like she couldn't breathe in enough of it.  
  
"Ok...here we go..." Ash also seemed very content, just to have her with him outside, and he pushed her faster down the walk...Misty laughed as the air rushed by her face, through her hair, causing it to billow a little behind her. She closed her eyes and let go of the handles...for just an instant, she was flying...  
  
All afternoon, they played around in the park amidst the fall leaves. They sat at a bench after a bit and just started talking, Ash offering Misty some M & M's he had brought along.  
  
"Mmmm...yes, I remember chocolate now..." She grinned as she put another into her mouth, sucking on the shell until it dissolved.  
  
"I think it's one of those tastes you never forget." Ash popped a handful into his mouth.  
  
* * * *  
  
Evening fell, and Ash wheeled a reluctant Misty back to her room.  
  
"It's not *that* much colder," Misty insisted as Ash pressed the elevator key to go up. "I'll be OK..."  
  
"Maybe you will," Ash said, "but maybe you'll get sick and we shouldn't risk that."  
  
Misty was served a dinner of sliced pot roast and mashed potatoes that night, and Ash brought a radio into the room so they could listen for a while. Music...it was something Misty remembered, of course, but not nearly as sweet as it sounded all of a sudden. She found also that she knew several songs that played, and she, as well as Ash at times, sung along with the radio. Misty was sure they'd get complaints from other rooms, but she couldn't help but get into the music.  
  
Misty sang until she became exhausted and tired, the day's activities catching up with her at last. Ash turned the radio off.   
  
"Gonna go to sleep?" he questioned gently, looking at her face.  
  
"Yes, I'll admit it," Misty said, "I'd better get some sleep about now...."  
  
"Ok, here...I'll help you..."  
  
Misty settled into bed, comfortable and cozy, and looked up at Ash.  
  
"Well, then...goodnight, Ash."  
  
He nodded. "Goodnight, Misty...sweet dreams..."  
  
He ran his hand momentarily over hers, and then he was gone.  
  
The darkness seemed thick and lonely, but the thoughts of the day returned to Misty and she felt peaceful. She hadn't had a song stuck in her head for a long time, but now, she thought of one she had heard today on the radio. It reminded her of Ash just a little, and she sang it softly to herself...  
  
"...You've been there for me, no matter what the cost...  
My best friend since we've believed in Santa Claus...  
You have always stood beside me  
And I want to let you know  
I'll be the one who hears your prayer  
Don't have to ask me, I'll be there  
I'll be the friend you'll never have to do without  
When you have nothing at all, you'll still have noting to worry about. . ."  
  
Misty exhaled, too tired now to finish the song, and thought of Ash again as sleep took her over.  
  
  
  
________________  
...To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
(AN: The song is called 'Nothing at All' from Sailor Moon SS...I do not own it.) 


	8. The Ketchem Home

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 8  
________________  
  
  
When Misty awoke, the first thing she saw was her Doctor entering the room.  
  
Rubbing her eyes, she began to yawn, and then watched as he came over to her, smiling.  
  
"Good morning, Misty."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Well, today I have a bit of news for you...I think you'll like it."  
  
"Hm?!" Misty was interested now.  
  
"Well," the Doctor continued, sitting by her in the chair, "looking at how well you're doing, we've decided that it'd be OK to release you."  
  
Misty's jaw dropped a little. "Re..really?"  
  
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. It's been decided that you are well enough to leave the hospital now. You'll still need to finish your therapy, but you won't need to stay here for that. Dr. Johnson will come to see you every weekday, and a few times a week, she'll take you here to work on the hospital equipment. I'll come once a week too, to check up on you."  
  
Misty swallowed, dumbfounded. "I...I can leave?" she managed. She hadn't even considered leaving yet...  
  
"Yes. There's no reason why you need to stay any longer."   
  
"Well..." Misty went on, "when do I go?"  
  
"Hm...I was thinking that this afternoon after your therapy session would be OK— as long as you *feel* ready, that is."  
  
Misty nodded quickly. "Sure, I'm ready. That sounds...fine."  
  
"Good! Well, that about sums it up..." He stood, and made for the door. "Oh, and here comes your friend."  
  
He walked out the door, and Ash entered at the same time.  
  
"Misty! Misty!! Did you hear?!" His face was alive with excitement.  
  
"You mean—"  
  
"-- that you can leave!" Ash finished, "The Doctor told me earlier!"  
  
Misty smiled. "Yes, I heard. It's great! I didn't think I'd get to go so soon!"  
  
But as soon as she had said that, it hit her. She went pale.  
  
"...Ash?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Wh...where will I go?!"  
  
"Whaddaya mean?"  
  
"Ash! They say I can go home, but...I don't want to go *home*!"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Well, actually...the Doctor was asking me about that..."  
  
"Huh?" Misty bit her lip.  
  
"Well, while your sisters are...*responsible* and all, he said that you'd need constant attention, especially for the first few weeks, just to be safe."  
  
"...Yeah...?" There was an air of hope in her voice.  
  
"And, since I've been coming to see you everyday anyway..."  
  
Misty's eyes grew wide.  
  
"...I get to make sure that you make it safely to the Cerulean Gym to be with your sisters."  
  
"...WHAT?!" Her heart sank, let down and angry.  
  
"Misty!" Ash was laughing hysterically by now. "Mist, you can stay with me! I was just kidding about that part! I was just testing you for a response!"  
  
An unstoppable grin took over Misty's face, and she threw her arms around the boy, despite his cruel joke. "I can stay at your house?! Ash! Oh, thank you so much!!!"  
  
Ash was still laughing softly. "Heh, your welcome. I'd love to...well, I mean, *we'd* love to have you stay with us."  
  
"Thanks a lot!" Misty said, releasing him. "I...I really don't want to live with my sisters...you understand." She smiled weakly.  
  
"Yeah, I do."  
  
A nurse entered suddenly with a breakfast tray.  
  
"Oh my...my...Ash, what about...clothes?!?" She didn't even look at her food. "I just realized that all I have are hospital clothes!!" She looked down at the blue and white thing she wore.  
  
"Well...I'm sure we could work something out. Maybe your sisters could be useful after all...and loan you some clothes, just for when you leave the hospital and all. Unless you...want to wear your old clothes..." He took from a drawer by the wall a stack of folded fabric.  
  
"What the— oh..." Misty took the clothes and unfolded them, holding out first a pair of shorts with suspenders. "Ugh...I...*wore* this?!" Ash laughed softly.  
  
"And, yellow? Oh my gosh, I remember this shirt!! Ash, these are terrible!" She threw them into a wad on the bed. "I'm sorry you ever had to *look* at me wearing those!"  
  
"Heh...I guess you aren't going to wear 'em, then."  
  
Misty smiled. "I doubt they'd fit me anymore— so it wouldn't matter, anyway. They're out of the question." She finally eyed her food, and bit into a piece of toast. "Maybe my sisters *could* drop off something for me...if that's OK."  
  
"Sure. I'll call them...the hospital will have their number."  
  
"Whew...good. I don't even remember my own phone number, come to think of it."  
  
They smiled at each other, and Misty finished her breakfast.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Misty had never been so eager to finish up therapy. Everything that Dr. Johnson told her to do seemed like one more barrier that kept her from leaving.  
  
"OK, Misty— we'll be done soon enough. But you *must* focus on your crunches for now."  
  
Misty sighed. "Yeah." She was lying on the blue padded floor, attempting to do another crunch. She had done two, and she had been asked to do fifteen. This could take forever...  
  
After Misty finished that, she was then instructed to sit with her arms back and her hands supporting her, and move her legs from side to side on the mat. Misty obeyed, finding the task amazingly difficult. She figured that when she had taken her fall, she had gotten injured fairly badly in her legs. It didn't help, either, that when she had healed, she had been unable to exercise them for years after that. Building up strength in them would be tough.  
  
"Well, you're getting the hang of it," Dr. Johnson said, "but our time is over today. You're done."  
  
"Ah!" Misty gasped happily. She was helped into her wheelchair.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
By the time Misty had gotten out of her bath, a nurse brought a bundle in to her.  
  
"It's from your sister...she came by," the nurse told the towel-clad Misty.  
  
"Oh— thanks."  
  
These were, Misty realized, some of her sister's old clothes. They didn't *look* old or worn at all— her sisters went through fashions and fads like pet stores go through feeder goldfish. Many of their outfits were constantly being pushed to the back of the closet. Looking through the clothes in her hands, she knew that they were probably a year or two old, but they didn't look bad to Misty.   
  
After browsing through the stack— a pair of jeans, a black skirt, a bright purple shirt, among other things— she decided on a blue floral spaghetti-strapped dress that came to her knees, with a little blue sweater to go over it. Misty liked it, and it seemed to fit her reasonably well, so she folded up the other clothes and had the nurse wheel her back to her room.  
  
First thing she noticed upon entering her room was the look on Ash's face.  
  
"Uhh..whoa, Misty, you look really nice!"  
  
She had to giggle a little at this. "Heh, thank you, Ash."  
  
Ash took a breath and, pulling his eyes away from Misty, looked down at a bag on the bed. "I...I put all your stuff in here, and..." he reached for her back pack, "this makes everything, I think."  
  
"Yes, I think so. Thanks for doing that...so, when do we go?"  
  
Ash gestured to the door. "Well, I called my mom, and she should be driving up anytime now."  
  
"Oh... okay." She was quiet for a moment, but gathered enough courage to ask Ash a question. "Um...will you...brush my hair again? Please?"  
  
Ash laughed softly. "Of course. I'd love to." He reached into the bag, and a moment later he withdrew a brush.  
  
"So..." Ash said, taking Misty's hair in his hand and beginning to stroke through it, "you gonna miss this place at all?"  
  
Misty was silent for a moment, then she said quietly, "Well, Ash, if three years of your life were wasted lying in this room...would you miss it?"   
  
Ash shook his head. "I understand."  
  
Misty looked up at Ash momentarily. "I'm sorry. It's just that I— I want to live again. I want to be myself, and that's not lying in a bed with people having to bathe me and care for me. I want to live my life..." She tried to force a smile.  
  
Ash returned it. "And you will."  
  
Another short silence. Then, setting the brush in the bag again, Ash looked to Misty. "Ready?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, Off we go."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
A car drove up to the hospital entrance, stopping before the two waiting figures.  
  
"Here, I'll put your stuff in the trunk," Ash offered, taking Misty's things from the ground.  
  
Ms. Ketchem emerged from the front seat, grinning as she caught sight of Misty.  
  
"Hello, dear! My, aren't you looking nice!" She took hold of the wheelchair and pushed her up to the curb.  
  
"Lemme help," Ash said, holding on to Misty's arm as she sat in the passenger seat.  
  
Ash closed her door and hopped into the back as his mom sat down and started the car.  
  
"We're so glad you're going to stay with us," Ms. Ketchem said. "I cleaned up the spare room and fixed it up just for you, and it's all ready to stay in."  
  
"Great," Misty said as she watched the hospital grow smaller and smaller. "Thank you very much."  
  
Ms. Ketchem giggled. "Oh, we're happy to have you, dear!  
  
The drive was only about ten or fifteen minutes long, mostly through an expanse of open fields and several clumps of trees here and there.  
  
"I biked through here everyday," Ash piped up from the back seat, "you know, to see you at the hospital."  
  
"Really?" Misty asked, becoming impressed.  
  
"Yeah. Mom needed the car to go to work so I had to bike."  
  
"You work, Ms. Ketchem?" Misty asked.  
  
"Oh, of course! I have to pay for things somehow."  
  
"She works at the nursery now," Ash said, "you know how she's good with plants."  
  
Ms. Ketchem beamed. "Heh, oh, I'm glad you'll get to see my garden, Misty. Not much is in bloom, I'm afraid, but the colors are still pretty. Ash even helped me plant some of it."  
  
"Heh, yeah, the part that died," Ash said, turning slightly red.  
  
"Well, at least Ashy tried," his mother admitted. Misty couldn't help but giggle.  
  
They drove onto a residential road and passed a sign reading "Pallet Town Limits". They had arrived.  
  
Nothing much seemed different since Misty had been here last. It was still a small little town, friendly and peaceful, with a hill sticking up in the distance with trees quite a bit of property behind it. That was Professor Oak's lab, the fame of Pallet Town.  
  
They drove up another street and to a cozy little house with a white picket fence around it. There were gardens of flowers, bushes, and trees everywhere, and the grass was neat and trim Misty knew from memory that this was the Ketchem home.  
  
  
"Here we are," Ms. Ketchem sang, stopping the car. "Don't you just love our garden?"  
  
"Yes, it's gorgeous," said Misty truthfully as she gazed out the window.  
  
Ash opened her door and, taking the wheelchair from the trunk and unfolding it, aided Misty as she sat in it. He pushed her through the gate and to the doorway, where Ms. Ketchem unlocked and opened the door.  
  
The house was warm and cozy, like it looked to be from the outside. The front room, with a couch, a few chairs and a coffee table in the middle, looked soft and comfortable.  
  
"We tried to move things around a little," Ms. Ketchem told Misty, "just so you can get around easier."  
  
She was pushed by a fireplace and into the kitchen beyond. It was pastel and bright, the sun coming in through the over-sink window and illuminating the room. Misty remembered being here before...standing by this counter...sitting at this table...  
  
They passed the staircase, where Ash's room was, and took Misty down a small hallway just beyond the kitchen with three doors and a table at the end of it.  
  
"My room's at the end of the hall," Ms. Ketchem said, " and yours is right here."  
  
Misty was guided into the first door on the right.  
  
The room wasn't too big, but it was beautifully furnished. A canopy bed, with several pillows and purplish-pink sheets, lay in the center of the room. Across from that was a dresser with an oval mirror, and a draped window to the right.  
  
"I hope you like it," Ms. Ketchem said. "I've always liked these sheets, but I've never had anyone to use them on, given that Ash obviously didn't want them." She giggled. "Actually, they were given to me as a gift and I never needed them until now."  
  
Misty smiled, looking over her room. "Her" room. It felt good to think of it that way. "I love it," she said.  
  
"Good," said Ms. Ketchem happily. "Now, I'll go fix some lunch for us, and Ash, you get her bags from the car." Ash nodded. "We'll be right back— make yourself at home." They left.  
  
The room really was nice, Misty thought. She took the wheels of the wheelchair in her hands and found that she was able to roll herself forward.   
  
She touched the comforter on the bed and moved to the window, drawing the drapes aside. She gazed out at the mountains beyond, reflected along with the bright sky in several large puddles in the garden outside the window.  
  
Misty sighed contentedly. At that very moment, she felt as if she belonged.  
  
  
_________________  
...To Be Continued...  
_________________  
  



	9. Confessions

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 9  
________________  
  
  
Misty heard someone enter her room, and she turned around automatically.  
  
It was Ash, carrying her bags, and smiling at her as he set them on the bed.  
  
"Hi," he said. "So, you're moving around on your own?" He walked up to the window, too.  
  
Misty shrugged. "Well, my arms are pretty strong now, so using a wheelchair isn't too tough."  
  
"I see," Ash said. "You really do like your room?"  
  
Misty nodded eagerly. "Oh, yeah! I love having a place of my own! I never had my own room as a kid, and now it's a nice change...." She looked up at Ash. "Really...thank you for letting me stay..."  
  
"Mist, it's nothing. You and Brock have stayed here tons of times before. My mom likes the company, and I'm glad you get to stay here now."  
  
"Yeah," Misty said, "but I wish I wasn't such a burden. I mean, I can't even walk, I'm always in the way and—"  
  
Ash knelt down and touched her arm, causing her to stop in mid sentence. "Misty, it's okay. You can't walk, and that's just fine, because after a little more therapy, you will. But until then, helping you is no problem. Okay?"  
  
Misty wished he didn't always have to help her. "Yes...I'm sorry. I'm just eager to do things for myself, that's all."  
  
"Mmhmm. It'll take a little while, but after therapy, you'll be just fine again."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
There was a short silence. There were things Misty wanted to say to him, but she couldn't now. Looking at Ash now, she felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach. What was it about him? His face made her insides fly when she saw him looking directly at her. She tried to swallow, searching her mind for something to break the quiet.  
  
"Um...well, maybe we could go outside for a while, Ash," she said at last.  
  
Ash stood up. "Oh, okay, if you want. It's not too could, I don't think." He took her wheelchair.  
  
"Thanks...again," Misty said softly.  
  
Going by the kitchen, Ash and Misty were stopped by Ms. Ketchem.  
  
"Wait! Take these sandwiches with you! I made them especially for you guys!"  
  
"Oh— okay," Ash said as a plate of sandwiches was shoved into his arms.  
  
"Enjoy!" came Ms. Ketchem's voice as they headed for the door.  
  
"Er, could you...?" Ash handed Misty the plate.  
  
"Sure, no problem." She held the plate on her lap, and Ash pushed her out the door.  
  
Once outside, Ash wheeled Misty to a bench on the right side of the house. It was surrounded by bushes, and flowers planted on the sides of it.  
  
"This okay?" Ash questioned, pushing her up to the bench.  
  
Misty nodded. "It's great."  
  
He sat down right by her on the bench, handing her a sandwich and taking one for himself before putting the plate aside.  
  
She ate it slowly, observing the gorgeous fall garden, and found herself gazing constantly in Ash's direction. She had been thinking more and more of how she wanted him to go and do his training again, and yet, as she felt that rushing feeling again, she also knew she wanted him to stay.  
  
It was almost like they were on the road again, stopping for a quick lunch, knowing they had a long walk ahead. But then again, it was so different from that.  
  
They finished their lunch, neither of them reaching for more, and they sat in the quiet afternoon. Misty hugged her arms, wishing she could know what Ash was thinking right then.  
  
"Ash?" she found herself asking, "Where do you think we'd be if I'd never gotten hurt?" She was staring at his face again. Was this just an excuse to stare at him?  
  
Ash looked to her. "If you'd never run off?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
Ash thought for a second. "I think that we'd have kept going, with Brock with us, and I'd keep training and try for the league again.." He shrugged. "What do you think?"  
  
"Maybe," Misty began, "you and I would keep on fighting until I ran off anyway. Maybe I'd leave for good...and you and Brock would just go on without me."  
  
Ash shook his head. "No, because I wouldn't have gone on without you like that."  
  
Misty blinked. "Are you sure about that?"  
  
"Yeah. I'd realize how stupid I was, and I'd...I'd miss you too much."  
  
"How do you know that?" Misty asked, unsure.  
  
"I know, because that's what happened when you ran off and got hurt."  
  
Misty felt her stomach turn circles. "Because...you missed me?"  
  
He nodded. "Of course. I thought I'd never talk to you again, or be able to apologize, so that's part of why I stayed."  
  
'Part of why he stayed?' Misty thought. Yes, yes...he'd felt obligated to take care of her all those years. He still did now, certainly, and that was why she was still here with him. It had to be...  
  
Misty bit her lip. "Ash, I've had this on my mind for a long time. You've done your part now. You've stayed with me. You've apologized. You've helped me out. But you have done too much for me. I...I care about you, and so I want you to be happy again— like you were before my accident. I think you are a great trainer, and I have only been holding you back. Now... I really think that you should go on with your journey."  
  
Ash looked at her blankly. She breathed in, and went on.  
  
"Look— I can't get over how much you loved training, Ash. Ever since I woke up, I've felt bad about stopping you. Things are a little different now and all...I know Pikachu's gone, but I still know that you want to be famous and achieve your dreams, and you still can. So, I want you to. You don't have to stay here because of me anymore, Ash. I'm thankful that you've been here for me, but I can't help but feel like I'm at blame for shattering your dreams. Please, Ash— don't let me stop you from finishing your journey."  
  
Within her mind, Misty had been dying to tell him two things. One, she had just said, to go on with his dreams and leave her. But the other, she couldn't even confess. She didn't want him to leave, but she didn't want to keep him here if all he wanted was to be free—   
  
Ash looked into her face. "Misty. I know what you mean. I know why you're saying it. But there's something you don't know. The truth is..." he swallowed. "There's another reason I can't go."  
  
Misty didn't move, her eyes still on Ash. She felt like she was being pulled under water...  
  
It was like time was slowing down...Ash mechanically moved his face closer, and Misty found herself pulling towards him. They closed their eyes, their lips met, and they kissed.  
  
Of all the things that Misty had tasted yet, this was the sweetest. The kiss was simple, even a bit novice, but Misty never wanted to pull away.  
  
She felt Ash's hands trace her back lightly, and she felt her own hands find him, reaching his arms and sliding up to his shoulders. She pulled closer to him, and wondered suddenly if his heart was beating as fast as her's was right now.  
  
The kiss ended, Ash slowly pulling his lips away, and a stunned Misty found that as nervous as she was, she wanted to pull him back. They were staring at each other's eyes, and it suddenly occurred to her: Ash Ketchem had just kissed her...and she had liked it.  
  
Ash was breathing faster now. "Misty— are you... okay?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah...more than okay..." She was so lost in is eyes.  
  
He caught his breath, pulling in one slow wisp before speaking. "That's why I can't go and leave you." His arms were still around her, and she still held to him. "I...I love you, Misty."  
  
* * * *  
  
A red leaf fell from a tree above, lingering in the air and plummeting slowly to the ground. A small whiff of a breeze tousled the leaves of a nearby bush, and the white of the bench seemed to glow in the sunlight. It was the only reality Misty saw through her blur of emotions.  
  
She couldn't believe what her ears were telling her.  
  
Ash had just said that...that...  
  
He loved her.  
  
She was lost for words. It was like falling through a warm, comfortable dream, not completely sure what's real, and not sure when she'd land on solid ground.  
  
She heard Ash's quiet breath by her, pulling her into her senses again. "...Ash..." She forced herself to breathe. "Ash...did you just say...did you mean..."  
  
"I meant it, Misty..." His voice sounded afraid, but sure.  
  
"You...love me?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
She was scared, the words almost being too much for her. But they were exactly what she had wanted to hear.  
  
"Misty...I went looking for you, and when I saw you lying unconscious on the beach...that's when I knew for sure. It was like I couldn't go on without admitting it to myself. Maybe I thought it before, but right then I knew for certain. And every time I'd see you after that, I'd realize more that it was true." He stopped, watching her. "It hit me then, and since I've never felt the same. I don't know if you feel...that way...." He drifted off.  
  
Misty swallowed. Her heart was beating so fast...but words managed their way out of her mouth, quite slowly at first. "I saw you walk into my hospital room...and I felt something. You were...crying for me, so happy to see me... I couldn't believe it was really you. But I'm so glad you stayed with me, that you care enough about me. Ash, I love you, too. I really do."  
  
She found herself throwing her arms around him, holding him close to her heart, tears falling from her eyes. For the first time in a while, they were tears of happiness. As she felt Ash's arms wrap around her, she knew she never wanted to let him go.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Ash! Misty!!" Ms. Ketchem was calling from the door. It was like a distant voice interrupting a wonderful dream...  
  
Ash slowly looked up, and he and Misty wiped tears from their eyes. He smiled at her, touching her hand gently. "I'll go see what she wants...okay?"  
  
Misty nodded, smiling back at him. She didn't want him to go anywhere: not now. To think that, just a minute ago, she was telling him to leave her! All she wanted now was to have him close.  
  
When Ash returned, he had a portable phone in his hand. "It's for you...great timing, isn't it?"  
  
She gave a nervous laugh, taking the phone. "Heh...hello?"  
  
"MISTY!" Unmistakably, it was one of her sisters.   
  
"Oh, hi."  
  
"Look, Misty— we're sorry you didn't come to stay with us..."  
  
Misty bit her lip. "Oh, well, I would have, but— "  
  
"No, Misty! It's okay. I understand— you must feel like we're too busy for you."  
  
"Uh..." Misty hadn't wanted to explain herself, so she put the situation to use. "Yeah, that's it..."  
  
Her sister went on. "Well, we all talked, and..."  
  
Misty took in a sharp breath. 'Please, *please* don't let her ask me to stay in Cerulean...' she thought desperately.  
  
"...and well, we all wanted to take you shopping at the mall, sometime...say, this week."  
  
Misty let out a sigh of relief. "Oh...sure, yeah. Shopping..." She smiled despite herself. "Why not?"  
  
"Great! We'll pick you up some time and, like, get you some cool clothes and stuff, 'k?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, see ya, sis!"  
  
Click.  
  
Misty set down the phone, realizing that the scenario hadn't changed at all since she had picked it up.  
  
"So..." Ash said, a little uneasily, "what's going on?"  
  
"Oh, my sisters feel bad and want to take me shopping..."  
  
"Aw."  
  
Silence. Awkward. . .such a strange mood hung over them. It was like they had started something, but it remained still unfinished. Misty wasn't sure what to do now, to be honest.  
  
Ash looked up then, and took Misty's hand. She was glad that he had done something first...  
  
"Misty, I think that maybe we need to go somewhere to talk."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I think we do," she said quickly, agreeing completely.  
  
Ash nodded. "Come on. I think we've got a lot to say to each other."  
  
  
  
________________  
...To Be Continued... 


	10. The Field

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 10  
________________  
  
  
"Ash," Misty said as he pushed her down the road, "I can honestly say that I never expected this to happen."  
  
They were heading off to a field outside of Pallet, a peaceful place to talk without awkward interruptions.  
  
Ash smiled slightly, though Misty didn't see. "Me neither."  
  
They had reached the field now, its long grasses moving rhythmically in the breeze. There was a rock beneath a tree out in the expanse, looking quite solitary amidst the grass.  
  
"I come here sometimes," Ash told her, slowly stopping the wheelchair. "You know...to think, and stuff."  
  
Misty looked out to it wistfully. "So...you want to talk here?"  
  
"Sure," Ash said. "Can I carry you over?"  
  
"Yeah, if you want," she told him, and he took her carefully in his arms, leaving the chair by the edge of the road.  
  
Gently, he carried her, sweeping through the golden grass toward his rock. The blue sky was brilliant against the yellow, and it reminded Misty of some bright, pastel painting.  
  
The boy that was carrying her in his strong arms, Misty thought, loved her. He wanted her with him as much as she wanted him with her, and now it was a fact...and he wanted to speak to her alone. She suddenly felt an overwhelming admiration for Ash. It was like there was no one else...  
  
And it had all happened in a flash.  
  
They reached the rock, and Ash set Misty down on the boulder's edge. Misty closed her eyes, waiting, and smelling the fresh air around her.  
  
She felt Ash sit down by her on the rock. "I know we were sort of interrupted, but— what I was trying to say before is still true. I've just had so long to think about it, I mean, two and a half years, and there is no way to deny it. I didn't think I could possibly love you, but that's why I kept coming back to you everyday. I thought about just leaving, and letting you out of my life— but I couldn't!  
  
"I'm sorry if a kiss was too sudden for you," he went on, "but after all that time I just had to let you know."  
  
Misty wasn't going to complain. "No, no— Ash, it's okay. But... tell me why you didn't tell me *sooner*...?"  
  
Ash smiled faintly. "Well...I didn't know if you agreed with me. I *still* wasn't sure today, but I guess that's why I did what I did, because you thought that I was just here to take care of you. It goes far deeper than that. I didn't want to do anything, though, if you didn't love me back..." He picked a long piece of grass and tied it idly into a knot.  
  
"I think," Misty began, "that I wasn't sure about *you* liking *me*. I swear, I fell in love with you the moment I realized it was you walking into my hospital room. I just felt *different* about you; I just didn't realize it right off that it was, well, love."  
  
Ash understood. "Me neither."  
  
The breeze rolled over the yellow grass, making the expanse of field seem like a large, golden ocean with two people swimming amidst it.  
  
Ash looked to Misty. "About what you said about my journey— it's not so important anymore. Not compared to you... and until you're better, we don't even need to think about it. If you didn't want to come with me on it, than I just wouldn't go. You've been gone for long enough, and I don't want to leave you..."  
  
"But Ash, if you *wanted* to return to your journey..."  
  
"I do, but not now. That is....I do, as long as you'll go with me."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Then I guess, someday, we'll go off again. But not today. Not anytime soon. I'm happy just to be here right now. With you."  
  
Misty grasped to her hair, holding it in a bunch. "Ash... this whole thing is really, really weird."  
  
"I know," Ash responded. "Did you ever picture us admitting that we loved each other? I sure didn't...well, not back then."  
  
Misty smiled. She wasn't too surprised that he'd say that. "I always liked you, though," she said. "Just a little."  
  
"You never cared about getting your bike back, did you?" Ash asked slyly.  
  
Misty's face turned red.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was well after five when Ash and Misty returned home.  
  
"Where have you *been*?!" an exasperated Ms. Ketchem greeted as they came through the door. "Heaven only *knows* where you could have been for so long!"  
  
Ash and Misty entered the kitchen. "What?"  
  
"Oh, I just wish you'd tell me when you plan on disappearing for hours at a time. Misty just got released from the hospital, after all!"  
  
Ash pushed Misty up to the table. "I was showing her the fields out there, and we were just talking," Ash said. He took a seat by Misty.  
  
"That's good, but you missed dinner, anyway." Ms. Ketchem set out containers of food that had already been put away an hour ago.  
  
"Sorry, Ms. Ketchem," Misty apologized..  
  
"I'll survive. Now, go on and eat. It's a bit cold, but..." she trailed off as she left the room.  
  
Ash shrugged. "I guess she feels really responsible for you now, Misty."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
They ate cold meat loaf and green beans, talking idly as they did. They both felt, at least at the time, uncomfortable about telling Ms. Ketchem about their 'confessions'.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Ash," Misty called from the purple canopy bed.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
It had grown dark and late, and Misty, though she had insisted that she wasn't that tired, had at last submitted to going to bed.  
  
"Don't go yet..."  
  
Ash smiled, and, before turning off the light, walked back to Misty's bedside. "I have to, Mist..."  
  
Misty folded her arms behind her neck, looking hopeful. "Well...at least give me a goodnight kiss."  
  
"Now, how could I refuse that?" Ash said as he knelt by her. "Okay, you win...wasn't too hard to convince me, was it?"  
  
She giggled, and Ash leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Goodnight, beautiful."  
  
"Goodnight, Ash...I love you."  
  
Ash stood up again and, as he switched off the light, he replied, "Love you too, Misty."  
  
He closed the door.  
  
Misty sighed happily, a wonderful feeling rushing over her. People might say that, when she had awoken from her coma, it had been 'the first day of the rest of her life'. But, as far as Misty was concerned, today was the best day of her *whole* life.  
  
* * * *  
  
Morning came like a glorious new light, filling Misty's room with pure, golden sunlight. She smiled as she realized that the sterile smell was nowhere to be found, and there were no beeping machines or nurses to check on them.  
  
She had had a nice dream, too...her and Ash had been together, walking hand in hand through a field of gorgeous flowers.  
  
Ms. Kethem entered suddenly. "Oh, well, you're already awake! Come on out and have some breakfast!"  
  
She was helped into the wheelchair, and taken by Ms. Ketchem (who had loaned her one of her robes) into the kitchen.  
  
Ash was at the table already, also decked out in pajamas and blue robe, eating a plate full of pancakes. Misty smiled at the sight of him. It felt different to see him now— felt good, and she wasn't so nervous.  
  
Ash greeted her by returning her smile. "Pancakes?" he asked as she was pushed up to the table.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Misty took a pancake, finding that she wasn't too hungry, and was just beginning to eat it when the doorbell rang.  
  
Misty didn't give it another thought until Ms Ketchem came back.  
  
"Misty— Dr. Johnson is here."  
  
Her heart sank. "Oh..." Therapy. Did her dream *have* to get ruined now?  
  
"I get the feeling that you'd rather not do therapy," Ash muttered to her between bites of pancake.  
  
"How did you guess?" Misty mumbled back to him.  
  
Dr. Johnson and a nurse in white entered the kitchen. "Hello, Misty— ready for therapy?"  
  
"Ok..."  
  
Dr. Johnson took Misty's chair and began to push her into the front room.  
  
"Wait!" Ash said, beginning to stand. "Can I...come too?"  
  
Misty beamed hopefully.  
  
Dr. Johnson shrugged. "Well...I guess so. For today."  
  
Ash smiled, leaving his pancakes and rushing over to Misty.  
  
He helped to clear the furniture aside in the front room so that they would have enough room. Dr. Johnson wheeled Misty out and let her out of the chair and onto the floor.  
  
"Okay, Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to work on strengthening your legs today. We want to have you starting to walk as soon as we can."  
  
'Walk soon?' Misty thought. 'Maybe this won't be so bad...'  
  
Ash sat down by her on the carpet, and Dr. Johnson directed her to do the first exercise.  
  
"Alright. I want you to lift your legs up as high as you can."  
  
Misty sat back, and with her legs outstretched, she attempted to lift them one at a time.  
  
"Good...good..." Dr. Johnson said. She knelt by Misty. "You can get them up a geed few inches..."  
  
She then helped Misty up. "Ash? Could you take her other arm?"  
  
"Oh, sure," he said, hopping to his feet and holding her arm.  
  
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "we're going to hold you up while you try to move your legs like you're walking, okay? Are you ready to try?"  
  
"Yeah," Misty said. She wasn't sure, though, if she actually *was* ready...  
  
She moved her right leg forward, her foot sliding over the floor and stopping a few inches from the starting point. Her whole leg felt stiff.  
  
"You're doing good," Ash whispered to her.  
  
"Next leg," Dr. Johnson instructed.  
  
Misty strained to move her left leg, feeling Ash's strong arm holding her upright, and she moved it forward, stopping after a few inches. It was hard, but Misty was surprised at how well she was doing it.  
  
"Misty," Dr. Johnson said, "this is the starting point— and you're doing very well already. I'm guessing that— within a few weeks— you'll be able to walk again."  
  
* * * *  
  
A while passed by. Misty wanted to stay on her feet the whole time, but after so long, Dr. Johnson told her she needed to sit down again and work on other things.  
  
She lifted weights for about ten minutes, and then Dr. Johnson told her that they were done. The nurse which had come with Dr. Johnson then helped Misty to bathe and take her medicine.  
  
Today, Misty decided to wear a pair of boot-cut jeans and a black t-shirt and, with Ash's help, put her hair back into a long french braid. Then, Dr. Johnson and the nurse left in the white van they had arrived in.  
  
Ms. Ketchem served sandwiches to Ash and Misty, and soon they both found themselves a bit bored as they sat together at the table.  
  
"There's not a lot to do around here," Ash admitted. "We could go play my Nintendo, though."  
  
"Yeah, sure— I haven't seen your room yet, anyway."  
  
"Okay." Ash picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his room.  
  
The last time Misty had seen Ash's room, there had been Pokemon things every which where. Now, however, it had seen dramatic change. While there were still a few Pokemon things on the walls and dirty clothes on the floor, it seemed altogether cleaner. Maybe, Misty thought, it was just because it looked emptier now— simple things adorning it. A dresser here, a desk there, a couple shelves and a few of pictures over a bed-side table... what were they *of*, anyway?   
  
As Ash set her down on the bed, Misty peered closer at the photographs. One was of Pikachu, another was of the three of them— her, Brock and Ash— and the third picture was one *just* of her, smiling as she sat on a rock beneath a tree. She looked so young...  
  
"Ash," Misty asked, "where'd you get a picture of me?!" She was actually a bit flattered that he had it.  
  
"Oh." Ash looked up from a box full of games. "Todd gave it to me. It was sort of a gift after he learned about you." He smiled nervously.  
  
"Oh...how sweet."  
  
"So— which game do you want to play?"  
  
After looking through Ash's entire game collection, they decided on a showdown of Bust-A-Move.  
  
After they had started their game, Misty quickly insisted that they turn down the sound on the TV and listen to the radio. Without argument, Ash agreed.  
  
It felt reminiscent of that day in the hospital— playing cards and listening to music with Ash. Misty felt quite happy now, even better than she had then, but for two major reasons. She knew Ash loved her now, and she also knew that she was going to walk again.  
  
Misty hummed along to a familiar song as she got into the game, thinking up a strategy to beat Ash, and a feeling of sheer joy came over her. This was happiness, she thought, stealing a quick glance at Ash sitting near her on the floor. The feeling of being "in" love.  
  
Several minutes later, as the two continued their game, Ms. Ketchem knocked on the bedroom door.  
  
"Yeah?" Ash said, pausing the game promptly.  
  
"Um, Misty— your sisters are here."  
  
"What?!?" Misty felt the color leave her face.  
  
"Yes— they said that they came to take you to the mall! Doesn't that sound like fun? You'll get out of the house for a few hours, too...it'll be good for you!"  
  
"But...they...I...if..." Misty stammered, gesturing aimlessly with her arms. She stopped, giving a vanquished sigh. "Oh, fine. I'll be right down."  
  
Ms. Ketchem smiled, unaware of Misty's overall disapproval. "Alright." She left promptly.  
  
"Ash— I don't *want* to leave you now! I feel almost like I'm just getting to *know* you!!"  
  
Ash looked up at her. "Heh, I'm not exactly crazy about letting them drag you off shopping, but...well, it's your choice, I guess."  
  
Misty sighed. "Okay. I think I *should* go...because, well, I *told* them I would, after all..."  
  
Ash smiled. "It's okay, Misty. We have plenty of time to play around on the Nintendo later."  
  
Misty giggled. "Oh, yeah, you know how much I love that Nintendo..." She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Ash answered her by looking up and kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"Aw, I knew you were just using my for my video games..."  
  
Misty nearly started to laugh again, but stopped herself and kissed him on the lips. "Oh no, my cover is blown!"  
  
Ash stood up and took her in his arms. "Well, Misty, we'd better get you down there. You have some serious sisterly-bonding to do."  
  
Misty rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
______  
...To Be Continued.... 


	11. Shopping

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 11  
________________  
  
  
Misty looked nonchalantly at the shirt in her hands, sitting amidst her three squealing sisters. She wasn't sure of how much more of this she could handle.  
  
"Ah! Like, this is *so* you, Misty!" Lily shoved yet another particle of clothing to Misty, who had already accumulated a fairly large pile on her lap.  
  
Misty remembered a time when she had enjoyed shopping, indeed, she still would if she didn't have something more on her mind.  
  
"Misty, do you like pink?" Daisy was holding a frilly, pink dress before Misty. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
"Oh— Okay. I guess you've always been a tomboy... would you like it better in green?"  
  
Misty sighed. This might never end.  
  
  
At last, after Misty had tried on another load of clothes, they checked out and left the store, going back out into the mall.  
  
"Misty," Violet began, tossing her hair, "you act like you're in, like, such a hurry!"  
  
Lily nodded. "Totally! What is *with* that?! I remember when you'd *beg* us to take you shopping with us!!"  
  
"Um, well..."  
  
Daisy huffed. "Oh, come on, girls! Isn't it obvious enough?"  
  
"Huh?" Violet and Lily were staring dumbly.  
  
Daisy shook her head as she pushed the wheelchair. "She *obviously* wants to go back because of someone that she *obviously* wants to be with!"  
  
Lily and Violet looked at each other. "Huh?"  
  
Daisy spoke slowly. "Hell-o! The Ashy- kid. Why *else* do you think she's staying at his place?!"  
  
Misty bit her lip. Was it just her, or was it suddenly 100 degrees in there?  
  
"So you *do* like him!" Violet taunted, winking at Misty.  
  
"Ooooh! That is *totally* so sweet!!" Lily put her hand to her heart. "The guy who came to see you everyday— and now you're in looove..."  
  
"Oh, you guys..." Misty said helplessly, wishing she could pretend she wasn't with them.   
  
"Oh, Misty, it's okay," Daisy comforted. "We've all been in love before...well, *most* of us..." She shot a superior glance at Lily.  
  
"Like, shut up!!" Lily huffed.  
  
"Anyway," Daisy went on, "we know what it's like! And Ash is, like, a cute kid and stuff. He wasn't when we first met him...what an annoying brat...but now he's a cutie!"  
  
"Uh...thanks..." Misty muttered.  
  
"So," Violet prodded, "did you guys...heh...kiss and stuff yet?!?" She looked intently to Misty.  
  
"Well...we...um..." Misty didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at all.  
  
"You *did*, didn't you?" prompted Lily.  
  
"Well...yeah," Misty admitted, trying to look busy by examining her long nails. What *else* was she supposed to say?  
  
"Ooooh!!" all three of her sisters squealed in unison. "How *sweet*!"  
  
Misty almost found herself smiling. "It was..."  
  
"What happened? Was it on the lips? Did you like it?!"  
  
Misty told them about it, vaguely at first, but then found herself telling them about it in more and more detail...more than she would have initially liked to. But she felt like, now, she had something to make them jealous.  
  
"Ohh, that's *adorable*!!" Daisy cooed as they continued through the mall. "My first kiss with Darren wasn't as romantic."  
  
Violet looked wistful. "Well, *my* first kiss with my fiancee was okay..."  
  
"Oh?" Misty asked mechanically, "and what's *his* name?"  
  
"Oh— you mean Brock?"  
  
Mist went suddenly stiff. "E..excuse me— who?!"  
  
"Brock— my fiancee's name is Brock." She smiled. "Aw, he's so sweet!" She once again looked dreamy.  
  
Misty laughed. "Ha...what a coincidence...but it can't be...uh, what's his last name, anyway?"  
  
"Slate," Violet replied, "but I don't see why you care so much..."  
  
Misty grinned. "Oh my gosh!! Brock!!!"  
  
"You...*know* him?" Violet asked.  
  
"Yes! I knew him years ago!! Wow, I can't believe it— you're going to marry my old friend!! You'll have to let me talk to him sometime, okay?!"  
  
Violet shrugged. "Er, yeah, I..I guess..."  
  
Misty couldn't get over the irony of it all...Brock Slate, marrying her sister!!! Well, then again, maybe it wasn't *so* ironic...  
  
"Ooh— we *have* to go in here!" Daisy said suddenly, stopping in front of Claire's Boutique.  
  
"Aw, do we *have* to?" Misty asked.  
  
"Look, Misty— Ashy-boy can wait. Right now, you need to accesorize!"   
  
Misty rolled her eyes. "Here we go again," she muttered to herself.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was seven O'clock that night, and Misty was lying on her side on Ash's bed.  
  
"...and so I told Violet that I wanted to talk to him sometime soon...she never really understood why, but I can hardly believe it myself!"  
  
Ash was sitting on the floor, his arm intertwined with Misty's as she told him about her interesting shopping experience.  
  
"Wow..." he said, "so *that's* what happened to Brock..." He laughed at the thought. "I guess Nurse Joy kept rejecting him."  
  
Misty snickered. "I guess. I wonder why he never tried to contact you or anything, though— after he left."  
  
"Who knows," Ash said, resting his head on the bed side. "I always thought he was crazy, the way he went after every girl he saw. I never thought that he'd decide to settle down-- let alone with your sister!"  
  
"Mmmm..." Misty yawned quietly and moved a little closer to Ash. "It's a small world..."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Misty sat alone among the red rosebushes, staring out at the field of flowers below an overcast sky. She breathed in the sweet air, loving her very existence, stretching out her arms and feeling the warm air around her skin, encircling her being...  
  
She smiled, watching carefully as another figure came up from behind the bunch of bushes in front of her.  
  
"Ash..." she whispered, standing up to greet him. The silky dress she wore flowed about her skin in the breeze, shining silvery-white, and she went to him. His smile...oh, she was so in love with that smile... she held his hands in her own and kissed him passionately.  
  
Rain drops fell softly from above, showering everything in a wet mist. Ash held onto her hand firmly, looking off toward the flowery fields beyond. Misty tried to follow him, but she found that her dress was suddenly caught in the rose thorns...  
  
Misty tried to pull herself free, but the more she tried, the more caught she became in the bushes. Blood red surrounded her, branches pulling her into a dark emptiness. Lightening flashed off in the distance, and the rain picked up, fat drops slamming against the roses and the garden in a violent manner.  
  
Misty squinted, the rain irritating her, but also noticing that she was losing grip with Ash's hand.  
  
"Ash!" she cried, salty tears mingling with the rain drops on her face. But all he could do was call back as she was swept away in the roses.  
  
"Misty...come back to me...Misty.... come back...."  
  
His hand slipped away, and Misty sobbed as darkness encircled her completely.  
  
"Ash! Ash!! ASH!"  
  
He was gone...  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"ASH!!" Misty jolted upright, crying frantically and looking around desperately. Ash's hand was still around hers'-- she lay on his bed, he on the floor. She clung, frightened, to him as he quickly woke up.  
  
"Misty!" he said, quickly sitting by her on the bed. "Misty, what's wrong?! Did you have a bad dream?"  
  
She bit her lip, trying to stifle her tears.  
  
"Misty..." Ash said soothingly, taking her hands.  
  
"Ash," Misty forced, "just hold me, okay...?"  
  
Without hesitation, he took her in his arms and held her close to him. Instantly she began to feel better, but she couldn't relax completely— not with those visions fresh in her mind.  
  
"Misty, you can tell me about it if you want..." He wiped a tear from her chin.  
  
Her crying had lessened, and she drew in a wavering breath. "You were taken away... from me...the darkness grabbed me...you slipped away..." She couldn't contain herself any longer, and she broke down again.  
  
"It's okay...it's only a dream," Ash whispered. He continued to hold her as her weeping became steadily quieter.  
  
Misty, finding that she was exhausted, ceased her crying and closed her eyes as Ash gently lay her down again. He held tightly to her hand, and though she didn't want to slip into sleep and lose sight of him again, it sooner or later got the better of her.  
  
* * * *  
  
The next day, for Misty, seemed normal enough. When she awoke, Ash carried her down to breakfast— Ms. Ketchem didn't even realize that Misty had fallen asleep upstairs, so no questions were shot at them.  
  
But, throughout the day, the thought of Misty's dream stayed with her— she just couldn't shake it.  
  
There was a call from Dr. Johnson, telling Misty to get ready to be picked up and brought to the hospital for therapy. She had gotten some work-out clothes at the mall, so she put those on and waited outside with Ash until the van arrived.  
  
"Ash," she said as they sat down on the white bench, "I'm sorry if I scared you last night."  
  
Ash looked at her, astonished. "Sorry? Misty, don't be sorry for having a nightmare! And if it's about waking me up— well, I'd rather be awake to comfort you than sleep through it all."  
  
Misty felt butterflies. "If you're sure...thank you for being there." She couldn't even *apologize* to him, could she?  
  
They didn't wait much longer for the van. It pulled up about five minutes later, and Ash seated Misty in her wheelchair and rolled her over to the white hospital van.  
  
"Can Ash *please* come with?" Misty pleaded to Dr. Johnson.  
  
Dr. Johnson smiled— she rarely did that— and helped Misty into the van.  
  
"I don't think so today," she said, "but maybe another time. You really need to concentrate completely on therapy."  
  
Ash looked to Misty, and quickly kissed her. "See you later, love..." he said, and Dr. Johnson closed the door.  
  
** * *   
  
The drive was pleasant, Misty thought, as she looked out the window. She would have talked to Dr. Johnson— she had already tried to start a conversation with Misty— but Misty, feeling a little bitter toward her still, opted to quietly watch the scenery.  
  
At the hospital, Misty was taken to the therapy center.  
  
"Your session will be a little longer today," Dr. Johnson informed Misty as she stopped the wheelchair.  
  
Misty wasn't sure if this was good or bad.  
  
They began with the regular stretches, and Misty lifted weights for several minutes. After that, Dr. Johnson took Misty to the west end of the room where two bars, parallel to each other, stuck out of the ground.  
  
"I think," Dr. Johnson said thoughtfully, "that you are ready to try walking again today." She lifted Misty from her chair and situated her between the bars so that she was grasping one in each hand.  
  
Misty shot her a nervous glance. She kept thinking that she would fall on her face if she did it by herself.  
  
"Just try it, OK Misty?" she said, gesturing over the bars. "The sooner you walk on these, the sooner you walk on your own."  
  
Misty, biting her lip uneasily, consented. "Yeah...I'll try."  
  
She began, holding tightly to the metal as she slid over the mat. It seemed easier now in a way, but the fact that Ash wasn't there seemed to, at the same time, make it harder.  
  
She worked hard, realizing then that, yes, she *was* improving. She walked back and forth time after time, losing track of how many. She found that it brought some satisfaction at least to know that she was doing well.   
  
She began to let her legs take on more and more weight instead of supporting it all with her arms, and soon it came easier to her. She was so close to walking on her own!  
  
Misty did it once or twice more before therapy was over.  
  
"It won't be long until you'll be able to start on crutches," Dr. Johnson said. "It's just a matter of days."  
  
Therapy ended, and Misty was bathed and dressed in the extra clothes she had brought. She was wheeled out, and before long she was being loaded into the van to go home. Watching the fields fly by outside the window, Misty thought that with all the good things she was feeling, the dream she had had couldn't possibly mean a thing.  
  
  
______  
...To Be Continued... 


	12. Brock

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 12  
________________  
  
  
Over the next few days, Misty found most of her time dedicated to therapy. And, when not with Dr. Johnson on special equipment, she could usually convince Ash to hold her as she carefully walked about the house.  
  
She felt quite at home with the Ketchems, and felt more comfortable to be living there. She moved on her own in the wheelchair, easily steering it without help, and becoming more and more confident in her progression.  
  
All in all, life for Misty was good.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
It was a chilly Friday afternoon. Misty had just returned from therapy at the hospital, greeting Ash with the usual hello kiss as she came through the door, but right away Ash put her backpack into her hands and asked her to come with him to *their* field. Misty took it with her, holding it confusedly even as Ash carried out to their rock.  
  
"Okay, Misty," Ash said as he set her down on the rock, "I think this is the perfect place to let your Pokemon out for a while."  
  
"Oh— Ash, I didn't even think about that!" Misty said in amazement. She hadn't really given them a second thought since she'd been given them at the hospital. "I should have let them out earlier." She began to shuffle through her things.  
  
"You've been busy, Mist," Ash told her as he himself took a seat on the stone.  
  
Misty found her Pokeballs and threw them all down to release the Pokemon within.  
  
It was like a reunion of old friends. Her Pokemon all ran to her eagerly— Psyduck first, whom she was even ecstatic to see— and then all the others, surrounding her and exercising happily in the noonday sun. Misty watched as they played before her, and for a moment it made her long for the days when she would travel with Ash and occasionally battle her Pokemon. She wished, however, that she'd taken her own training a bit more seriously.  
  
"We could take them over to the river sometime," Ash suggested a bit later. "Maybe tomorrow. It's a little far away, so we'll need the car. Mom doesn't have to work then, so..."  
  
Misty nodded. "That sounds great!!"  
  
They played out in the field for nearly an hour before Misty decided to put her Pokemon away and return home.  
  
"Maybe we could let Professor Oak watch them at his lab for a while so they can exercise more and get all the water they need," Ash said as he set her in the wheelchair.  
  
"That's a good idea— let's drop them off there on our way back. I just don't feel like I have time to take care of them very well right now."   
  
Ash agreed, and began to walk by her side as she pushed her chair. "So, what do you say we go home now for some of my mom's famous sandwiches?"  
  
"Sure, sounds wonderful."  
  
Ash smiled, and helped to push her faster.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
The moment Ash pushed Misty around the bend to the house, Misty knew something was different. There was a small, red sports car gleaming in the sunlight, parked out by the curb perpendicular to the front walk.  
  
"Who's car is that?" Misty asked as Ash unhatched the gate.  
  
"Dunno..."  
  
They entered the front room with curiosity.  
  
The first thing they both noticed was a tall, dark haired man sitting on the sofa. His eyes were small and his clothes neat and tidy— a black suit— and his hair was a bit spiky, though carefully styled. He grinned as he looked up to see Misty and Ash.  
  
It was right then that it clicked for Misty. She'd known this person three years ago, traveled with him, been given advice by him, been pulled out of furious arguments with Ash by him...  
  
"BROCK!!" she cried, laughter entering her voice at the revelation.  
  
"Whoa! Brock-o! Man, is that really you?!" Ash must have realized it right as she had. He was smiling too as he examined the tall man.  
  
"Hey guys— you guessed it! Great to see you two!" he answered, taking them both in a quick embrace.  
  
"Long time, no see!" Misty said as she looked dazedly at the figure before her.  
  
"You're not kidding about that," Brock said.  
  
"So, Brock! What's been happening?" Ash questioned as he pushed Misty closer to the coffee table.  
  
"Well, I'd say everything." He sat back down, and Ash took a seat by Misty in a chair. "You already heard about my engagement— to Violet."  
  
"Yeah, Brock!" Misty exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it when she told me. But... how did you meet her? You didn't remember her from your first meeting, did you?"  
  
Brock shook his head. "Naw— I don't even recall having any clue that she was your sister. That never even occurred to me for some reason or another."  
  
"Well, tell us everything!" Ash prompted, taking a cookie from the tray his mom had just set out on the coffee table.  
  
"Alright, if you can stay awake through it all," Brock consented. "Well...after Misty went into her coma, I thought that I *could* stay, but it wouldn't do anyone any good. I decided that I should get some kind of job. I mean, I'd been traveling with you two for a long time, but the Pokemon training journey thing just wasn't getting me anywhere. I'd learned a lot of new things and had a lot of important experiences along the way, but I realized that this was the end of it for me.   
  
"So, soon I went back home to Pewter City. I had always wanted to be a Pokemon breeder, you know, so I began working every job I could so I could earn the money to begin my own business near home. It took about a year or more, but soon I *did* open my own little enterprise. Basically, with my knowledge of Pokemon, I not only bred Pokemon for myself, but I helped people match their Pokemon to others that had complementary characteristics and bred them. It all turned out very well after a while, and I got to be pretty well known, especially after some of the Pokemon I had bred became famous for their battling abilities and other such things.  
  
"At the same time, though, I had become the Gym Leader of the Pewter city Gym again, using not only my old Pokemon, but rock Pokemon I had bred specifically be strong, fighting Pokemon. I was pretty tough to beat.  
  
"But one day, I was invited to a Gym Leader's convention at the Indigo Plateau. If I'm thinking right, it was just less then a year ago today...anyway, I went to it, of course, and that's when I say *her*..." His face was taken over by his famous 'girl sighting' look. "Ah... she was so pretty... so smart... better than every Jenny and Joy put together..."  
  
Ash and Misty glanced at each other and both sighed in unison.  
  
"Ahem. Anyway, I didn't know that Violet was your sister, Misty. I mean, true love can really blind a person." His eyes began to go hazy. Misty knew then that as much as Brock had changed, some things about him never would.  
  
Ash attempted to snap him out of it. "Uh, Brock— so, what happened after that?"  
  
Brock looked back to Ash. "Ah. Well, Violet had told me that she wasn't so much into the Gym leader thing, not as much as her two sisters were (and they didn't do a lot with the gym, either). But she had come with them to the convention, and still did these performances at the Cerulean Gym on weekends. We got to talking and I knew that she liked me a little, and I definitely liked her. I finally convinced her to give me her number, and I took her on a date as soon as she was free. Since then, we fell in love and I proposed!"  
  
"How *sweet*," Misty gushed, her head in her hands.  
  
"Yeah...we'll be married in a few weeks, at the Cerulean chapel, and we're getting the final preparations in order. But things are looking good for us."  
  
"Wow, Brock... you finally found a girl who didn't reject you...funny, though, that she was related to Misty."  
  
"Ah!"  
  
"Just kidding, Mist, you know that," Ash assured, putting his arm around her.  
  
Brock stared. "Ash...did you just avoid an argument with Misty, or am I going blind?"  
  
Ash smiled.  
  
"In fact, you guys haven't gotten into a single fight since you came in, and if I can remember you two by one thing, it's how often you're at each other's throats!"  
  
"Heh— Brock, we haven't really *had* any fights since I woke up from my coma," Misty told him.  
  
"Wow. I'm glad you both realize how naive it is to fight over stupid things..." He stopped again, looking a little closer at the two. "Wait a second! Maybe...maybe it's just me," he said slowly, "but...do you guys...*like* each other? I mean, *really* like each other?"  
  
Misty grinned, and she knew that Ash was, too.  
  
"Oh, my— it's true! Whoa, guys, that's great! I always thought you'd be a good couple-- you know, with the fighting aside!" Misty noticed that he almost looked like he could cry for joy.  
  
"Uh, thanks, Brock," she heard Ash say, and giggled lightly to herself.  
  
"Sorry, guys," Brock said, "I'm not trying to embarrass you or anything." He slowly stood up. "Well...it's been really great to see you two again! I should get going, though...I need to see Violet before I head back home. I'll see you soon, though...the wedding isn't far off, and I expect you guys will help out with it, right?"  
  
They both nodded.  
  
"Great!" He walked to the door. "I'll see you later—" He smiled and began out the door. "Oh— and good luck, Misty— with your walking." One more grin, and he was gone.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Ms. Ketchem entered the living room. "Oh, isn't it great? Your old friend, Brock...I remember him well. He left my house cleaner then it's ever been last time he left."  
  
Misty shook her head. "I *still* can't believe that he's marrying my sister! Well...I guess they'll go well together because Violet's never been very tidy."  
  
Ms. Ketchem giggled. "Well, I was telling him about how you've been improving, Misty. He seemed happy, but he said that he wished he'd been able to see you guys sooner."  
  
"Oh," Ash said, " he seems like a busy guy, though."  
  
"Well... I'm sure you're both hungry," Ms. Ketchem said, "so come on into the kitchen for lunch!"  
  
Misty and Ash didn't hesitate, and with that they were off to the kitchen.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"You're almost there, Misty!" Dr. Johnson said as she watched the girl use crutches, staggering in her direction.  
  
Misty held her breath and took another step, then another. The crutches were jabbing her painfully in the armpits with every step, and her muscles ached from all the hard work.  
  
Nevertheless, she made her way across the blue room and back to an ecstatic Dr. Johnson, who waited for her by the hand weights.  
  
"Wonderful!" she said as Misty stopped, panting mildly. "You've been working on those for days now, and I really think you're ready to use them all the time. So, from now on, no more wheel chair, okay Misty?"  
  
Misty bit her lip in the usual nervous manner. "Well, okay, I guess I can...can handle it."  
  
Misty though back vaguely to when she had seen Brock last Friday...three days ago. Maybe, she thought, she'd be able to walk on her own before Brock and Violet's wedding.  
  
  
________  
...To Be Continued....  
________ 


	13. Another Dream

_______________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 13  
_______________  
  
  
Misty, exhausted from the day's therapy, sat on Ash's bed with her new crutches at her side. She watched tiredly as Ash got another Tetris, beating his current high score.  
  
"You sure you don't want to go somewhere, Mist?" Ash asked her as he began a new game.  
  
Misty winced. "Naw... then I'd have to use my crutches, and I'm aching too much to even move right now."   
  
"Well, I'm still glad you got them," Ash said. "Just think— soon you won't even need them at all."  
  
Misty smiled at the thought. "Yeah..."  
  
The phone rang.  
  
Pausing the game, Ash leapt up to answer it.  
  
"Hello? Oh, yeah, right here." He looked to Misty. "For you," he whispered.  
  
She took it uncertainly. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi!" Yes, it was obviously her sister. Wouldn't anyone else call her?!  
  
"Hi... so, what's going on?" Misty asked.  
  
"Well, don't worry, it's nothing bad...this is Violet. I'm just calling to talk about the wedding— you know it's only a week and a half away..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"...and, like, since Daisy and Lily are going to be bridesmaids, I was thinking that you totally should too."  
  
Misty felt a tinge of excitement. "Me? Your bridesmaid?"  
  
"Uh-huh! Totally! And, well, I don't want to get you too excited or anything, but because I'm so glad you're awake to be at my wedding, well...I was also thinking that you should be the Maid Of Honor. Then it would go perfectly, because Ash is going to be Brock's Best Man! So, like, both of you will be in the wedding and stuff!"  
  
Misty felt almost speechless. "Wow...that sounds so neat!" she said, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Well, anyhoo— I thought I would let you know that, because we're going to go get the dresses for you, Daisy and Lily really soon. Then, you'll get to try on a bunch of pretty gowns, 'k?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Well...I'm meeting Brock for dinner, so...ciao!"  
  
"Bye!"  
  
*Click*  
  
Setting down the phone, Misty looked to Ash. "Hey, how'd you like to be Best Man at Brock's wedding?" Misty enquired, a curious smile on her lips.  
  
This got Ash's attention, and he dropped his controller. "Huh? Me?! Best Man?"  
  
"Yup." Misty brushed a stray hair from his face with her finger tip. "And...I'll be Maid of Honor!"  
  
"Whoa! That works out perfectly, doesn't it?" Ash said. "Is this a set-up?"  
  
"I don't know, but I don't have a problem with it." She sighed, tapping her fingers on his back. "But... Ash, before the wedding, I really want to walk on my own. I mean, I'm supposed to look nice and stand tall, right? Well, I don't want to drag crutches around with me!"  
  
Ash stood up and sat near her on the bed. "Don't worry about it too much, Misty. You've got a few weeks, right?"  
  
"A week and a half."  
  
"Yeah, a week and a half to start walking...I think you can do it." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.  
  
"I sure hope so."  
  
Ash kissed her neck lightly. "Mm, either way, I know you'll be a pretty bridesmaid. I can't wait to see you in you new dress and all, and I know you'll look beautiful because you always do."  
  
Misty knew that she was blushing. "Ah, Ash, you're way too kind."  
  
Just then, they heard Ms. Ketchem, calling in her sing-song voice that dinner was ready.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Ash said, "we were going to have Professor Oak for dinner, I think. Don't know why, though— Mom even made his favorite food, Tofu Casserole."  
  
"I can't imagine why," Misty said, and she giggled to herself as Ash carried her downstairs.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
A light streaked across the dark ceiling from a car's headlights outside. Misty gazed at it thoughtlessly as it faded into shadows, finding it to be somewhat hypnotizing, and she let her heavy eyelids fall over her eyes as he own mind cascaded into darkness.  
  
She thought of a few things first— her day, how sweet Ash was, the upcoming wedding— and then her imagination was whisked away into slumber.  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
Misty walked alone, her long dress sweeping through the yellow grass. In the outcast light, the dress seemed a pearly-white color, but a closer inspection would show it to be a fair violet. She seemed to shine amidst the golden turf.  
  
Misty looked around, as if searching for someone. Thunder echoed suddenly from the heavens, and Misty whirled around in dismay. She could feel already the rain drops splash against her skin, slowly seeping into the dress, and Misty found herself running.  
  
She looked frantically around for shelter— anything to give her cover from the threatening storm.  
  
The rain thickened, beating against the girl like thousands of tiny, stinging whips. Salty tears found their way out of her eyes as she ran, sighting a flash of lightening close by, and she fell to the ground in exhaustion and fear.  
  
She was freezing, and she closed her eyes and tried to forget the cold. Shivering, she hugged her arms to her, but it didn't do any good.  
  
As Misty prepared herself to drift away into darkness, she heard a voice coming closer, calling...  
  
"Misty...Misty..."  
  
It was Ash.  
  
If only she could wake up...   
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
Her face wet, Misty was afraid for a moment that she hadn't really woken up from her nightmare. But when she realized a moment later that she was sobbing quietly in the darkness on her own bed, she felt a rush of great relief.  
  
She turned over slowly, a loud sob escaping from her. She buried her head in her pillow, hoping that she didn't wake anyone. Truthfully, though, she wished that someone could be there with her, to hold her as she cried.  
  
She held the pillow tightly to her face, stifling her sobs.  
  
'No,' she thought, 'waking Ash won't do anyone any good.' Of course, that was partly a lie. Ash was all that was on her mind besides that terrible dream.  
  
This feeling would pass, she knew, and as her crying softened, she finally fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Violet led her three sisters into the large Bridal Emporium, holding the door for Misty as she entered on crutches.  
  
"I have a basic idea of how I want the dresses to be," Violet said as they headed for the racks of clothes. "They should complement my dress, like, sort of, so they should be short- sleeved or sleeveless. But I want you three to pick what you like."  
  
The colors for the wedding, as Violet had previously explained, were violet (a given) and silvery-gray. She and Brock had each chosen one, colors that suited them best.  
  
Violet led them to the bridesmaids dresses, and she looked through them, pointing out ones that she particularly liked.   
  
'This seems familiar,' Misty thought, thinking back to the day that her sisters had taken her shopping. She hoped, however, that this would be a better experience.  
  
"Hey, Misty— do you like this kind of dress?" Lily took from the rack a knee-length dress, decked with sequins and ruffles.  
  
"Um, well...not really," Misty said honestly. It looked more to her like a show girl costume than a bridesmaid's gown.  
  
"Get real, Lily," Violet said. "Come over here, I found some nice ones!"  
  
Misty and Lily found her and Daisy among the forest of bows and skirts, holding out a stack of purple-hued fabric.  
  
"Misty, these are all in your size. Go try them on, and I'll be right there to see you."  
  
She nodded, and Lily helped her to put the clothes into her room.  
  
"Let me know if you need any help," she said, and closed the door.  
  
Misty got undressed and set her crutches aside, sitting in the velvety red chair in the small room. She took in a breath, and removed the first dress from the hanger. It slid easily over her head, the cool fabric falling like silk about her legs. She stood up, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Ok, Lily," she said, opening the door.  
  
Lily helped her out, smiling as she led her out to the mirrors.   
  
Daisy and Violet were waiting, watching Misty come out before the mirrored walls.  
  
When Misty saw herself reflected on the surrounding mirrors, she was surprised. The dress was short-sleeved with a semi-low neck line. It had a princess waist with a poofy skirt that touched the floor, sweeping it as she walked. She couldn't remember ever looking so elegant.  
  
"...Wow..." Misty whispered, turning a full circle.  
  
"Hmmm... it's pretty, but...it won't look right at all with the wedding gown," Violet said thoughtfully.  
  
Misty nodded. The dress, to her, didn't feel quite right for her or her sisters. It was far too formal for her especially to be wearing.  
  
"Next one, then," said Daisy, and Lily took Misty back to the fitting room.  
  
Dress after dress, Misty came out, twirling before the mirrors for her sister's approval. A few were too formal, some were too plain, and a couple were downright ugly.  
  
  
Again in the fitting room, Misty found a dress that seemed to stick out from all the others left in the pile. She picked it up and took it off the hanger, holding the soft fabric to her body. She had a good feeling about this one.  
  
A minute later, she called for Lily, and she helped Misty walk out to the mirrored walls.  
  
The dress was sleeveless with a velvety top— a darker violet than the rest— with a floral beading along an empire waist. The skirt was light violet and it flowed out a bit, billowing about Misty as she turned before the mirrors. It came with a shawl, and Misty wrapped it around her shoulders in different ways, looking down at sisters for opinions.  
  
"Ooh..." she heard Violet say, "I like *this* one..." The others agreed.  
  
Misty smiled. It felt perfect to her.  
  
"Okay, then— I think this is the one. Lily, Daisy— go find your sizes and show me."  
  
They did as they were told, and five minutes later they came out in the same dresses, all looking simply elegant.  
  
"That's it," Violet said, "this it the dress! It will be lovely with mine, and it looks, like, really good on you guys! Now, I think you'll need matching gloves and necklaces, and then we're all set!"  
  
Misty smiled, and went back to her room to change. She'd never felt so pretty in all her life as she had seeing herself in that dress, and she was beginning to think that this whole wedding thing was becoming exciting. She could only imagine the look Ash would have on his face when he saw her wearing her new dress...  
  
  
  
______  
...To be Continued...  
______  
  
  
~ ~ ~  
AN: Hi! I tried to hurry with this part, really I did. It was fun to write, though, because I just went though the whole thing of trying on bridesmaids dresses for my sister's wedding! Anyroad, I thought I'd tell you all to expect about two more parts in this series. I might change my mind, but until then, there will probably be a total of 15 parts.   
  
Well, thanks bunches for sticking with this story even though it's so long. I love writing it, and I'll be kinda sad when it's finished =-/ Well, see you later!  
  
--StarGlider 


	14. At The Lab

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 14  
________________  
  
  
  
The world was brown with dead leaves, the skeletons of once flourishing trees casting a bold shadow over them in the chill morning.  
  
Things were different today, Misty thought, as she walked alone down the sidewalk with her crutches. Different, because things were changing. Not only was the world's outfit transforming, but things within Misty's heart and mind were also altering.  
  
She felt, even amidst her recurring dreams each night, like there was hope. Everything seemed to be so right. She was in love with her best friend, the one she had always wanted to love her, and she had people all around her who cared about her more than anything. She was finally getting over the loss of those years when she had slept, feeling able to accept it and move on. The last thing she needed was to be afraid.  
  
Misty walked further down the street, stopping as she reached to huge sign that indicated the entrance to Professor Oak's lab. And there, sitting on the steps, was Ash.  
  
"Mist!" he cried, running down to her, nearly tripping down the remaining stairs.  
  
"Hi!" she greeted. Ash hopped over the last two steps, and he pulled her into his arms eagerly.  
  
After a long kiss, Ash shot her a warm smile and began to carry her up the long set of cement stairs. "So, how was therapy at the hospital?"  
  
"Fine, I 'spose," Misty replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on. "I guess therapy always tires me out a bit, though, doesn't it?"  
  
"I would've come to meet you," Ash said, "but mom insisted that I shouldn't. She said you didn't need help with everything all the time...that you should walk the two blocks on your own for once. I guess she's realizing that she doesn't have to be so worried."  
  
"Yeah," Misty said, "she probably realized it when I kept telling her *not* to help me so much anymore. I hope she didn't take it offensively."  
  
Ash laughed. "Naw."  
  
They entered the lab, Ash setting Misty down with her crutches.  
  
  
"Oh, hello, Ash!" Professor Oak said quickly as he and Ash's mom moved abruptly from each other. "Why don't you two go run off outside? Misty's pokemon are waiting..."  
  
Ms. Ketchem nodded. "Yes— why don't you do that?"  
  
Shrugging, Ash followed Misty out the back door. "I really think something's going on with them," Ash said curiously.  
  
Professor Oak's lab was, as most residents of Pallet could tell you, far more then just a building for experimentation. It was literally a Pokemon Land Reserve— a huge place with every Pokemon habitat imaginable. A vast field spanned over most of the place, home to a rather large herd of Tauros, who were presently lounging about under a small tree. Misty giggled, remembering the very day that Ash had 'accidently' captured them all at the Safari Zone.   
  
Surrounding the field were other areas, each especially for certain Pokemon types. Straight ahead, across the field, was the forest habitat. To the right of that lay the rock habitat and the hot, flat desert area (equipped with a sunroom). To the right of all that, though, Misty looked to the water habitat. That, she knew, was where her Pokemon would most likely be right now.  
  
On her crutches, she followed by Ash's side across the field. Even though she was tuckered out from therapy, she didn't at all mind the stroll through the sunlight. It felt pleasantly warm on her back and neck, despite the chill in the air.  
  
The two reached the stream, which emptied into a large pool for the Pokemon to play in. Misty spotted her Pokemon among the others, Psyduck lounging in the grass by the bank.  
  
"Hey, Psyduck!" Misty said cheerfully, hugging the duck. That seemed to summon the others and they all came out of the water to see her. She greeted them happily.  
  
"I think they really like it here," Ash told her, sitting under a willow tree, "but I think they look forward to seeing you most."  
  
Misty laughed, and watched as her Pokemon splash into the pool, doing tricks for their master.  
  
She looked out over the water as it rippled invitingly. The sun's reflection frolicked over it, the splashing of the Pokemon interrupting it's dance.  
  
"I wish *I* could go swimming," Misty said longingly.  
  
"It'd be nice," Ash admitted, "but you know you can't— not in this weather, anyway. The water must be freezing!"  
  
"I've been in colder," Misty breathed. "Too bad...I always loved the water, loved to swim in it every chance I got. It feels like forever ago now."  
  
"Yeah, but you're too delicate now— the Doctor made that clear enough." Ash sat back against the tree trunk. "You'll be fully recovered soon, and then you can swim all you want. It won't be long."  
  
Misty nodded, and trudged over to Ash, sitting by him beneath the tree. "It's alright," she said, laying her head on his shoulder. "I'd rather be right here, anyway."  
  
They sat together under the willow, comfortably watching over the pool and Misty's Pokemon as the sun drifted across the brisk afternoon sky.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Misty hung up the phone, setting it down on Ash's bed by her crutches. "Dr. Johnson," she stated, laying down again. "Therapy at the hospital tomorrow— again. She says the session might be extra long." She rolled onto her back, and looked up at the ceiling helplessly.   
  
  
"You don't sound too thrilled," Ash said, digging under his bed for something Misty wasn't sure of. "But, I can't remember a time you've really been excited about therapy."  
  
Misty sighed. "Well, therapy's therapy, and I have to do it. What are you trying to find, anyway?"  
  
Ash glanced up from his rummaging for a mere moment. "Brock asked me if I had any pictures of him when he was younger, for the reception decorating. He's asking Todd, too, but he thought I might have some he didn't. I *know* I do, but I can't seem to find them..." He pushed a stack of papers out from the bed, and they scattered over the carpet.   
  
Misty grinned, and rolled onto her side to watch him, wondering how much junk there could possibly be under Ash's bed, when she saw him push aside a curiously shaped black trunk into her view.  
  
She looked at it intently, observing its shape. "A...guitar?"  
  
This got Ash's attention. "Oh, yeah, that's right..."  
  
Misty looked puzzled. "Since *when* did you get a guitar?"  
  
Ash stopped shuffling completely, and set a small brown box down on the bed. "Since you went into your coma," he replied simply.  
  
Misty looked at Ash, then to the case on the floor, then right back at Ash again. For the life of her, she couldn't imagine this boy doing something so cultured as playing a musical instrument.  
  
"Well, um, Ash— can you...well, *play* it?" she went on eagerly, pushing her hair gently from her face.  
  
"Sure. I took some lessons a while back...I guess it was two years ago, just for fun." He was busy looking through the box, soon retrieving an envelope from it. "Aha! Here they are!"  
  
Misty, however, was still quite intrigued. "Ash! You should have told me you could play the guitar! That's really neat!"  
  
"Think so? I'm not really any good at it..."  
  
"What?! I'm sure you're just fine!" Misty assured him, her curiosity mounting.  
  
"You've never heard me play!" Ash went on, momentarily shooting her an accusing look.  
  
"Then...why don't you play me something?"  
  
"What?!" She had his full attention now.  
  
"Yeah," Misty insisted, "play me a song, Ash!"  
  
Ash let out a nervous breath. "You— you want me to play you a song?"  
  
She had to laugh at his repetitiveness. "Yes! You heard! Won't you?" She stared at him, pleading with her deep azure eyes.  
  
Ash hesitated, but he knew he couldn't get out of it now. He looked down at the case. "Well...I...I 'spose I could do just one song..."  
  
A smile broke on Misty's face. "Oh, thank you, Ash!!"  
  
"How could I refuse?"  
  
Ash seized the black case from the rug, and carried it up onto the bed. Misty, sitting up, watched as Ash took a seat by her, proceeding to carefully remove the instrument from its case. He held it before him, looking at it for a moment as if he hadn't seen it in a good while, and he began to tune it.  
  
"I wanted drums at first," Ash explained, "but Mom said that I should try something else instead."  
  
Misty thought about Ash sitting behind a drum set, perhaps a bit more fitting to him, but she shivered just the same at the very idea. She much preferred that Ash played the guitar for several very obvious reasons.  
  
"Okay," Ash said, "I think it's ready now...but I really don't remember many songs. Well, there is that *one*...yeah, what's it called? I don't remember, but I think I know the notes well enough."  
  
"Well...go ahead," Misty persuaded, "go on and play it."  
  
Ash thought for a few seconds, as if he was hearing the song in his head, and then he began to play.  
  
Even though the melody started out a bit choppy, Misty was utterly amazed at the way Ash's fingers moved easily over the strings. She was enchanted— she didn't even know the song— but Ash was so good at playing that she could scarcely believe it. And, as an added bonus to hearing well-played music, it was actually *Ash* playing! *Her* Ash could play the guitar!!  
  
With a few smooth chords, the song came to an end. Ash set the guitar face-up in his lap, and looked up at Misty for a reaction.  
  
"It's been a little while," he said, trying to read her blank expression, "so if it wasn't that great I—"  
  
"No! Ash, that was terrific!!" Misty insisted as she quickly took his right hand. "You're absolutely amazing at playing!"  
  
"R...really?"  
  
"Yes!!"  
  
A smile crept over Ash's lips. "Wow...thanks, Misty!"  
  
She couldn't help but smile in return. "You're welcome." Looking down then, she suddenly noticed in the guitar case that there were a few pieces of paper. From what she could make out, they had notes on them, written obviously in Ash's handwriting. "Hey, what's that?"  
  
Ash, realizing what she was referring to, looked silently shocked. "Oh— nothing!" He began placing his guitar in its case, covering up the papers.  
  
"No— wait!! Please let me see what they are..." Misty wasn't about to give up.  
  
"All they are is...is a song, that's all."  
  
Misty suddenly lightened up. "A song...*you* wrote?"  
  
Ash nodded.  
  
"You never cease to amaze me, Ash Ketchem." She reached over and grabbed one of the papers hastily. "So, what's all thi—" she began again, but then the name of the song caught her eye: For Misty.  
  
Ash, very quickly, snatched it away. "Please, Mist, don't look at that!"  
  
"But Ash, it's—"  
  
"No! I...I can't let you look at that."  
  
Misty smirked. "You mean, you won't even play it for me? You don't have to be embarrassed."  
  
"I can't— it's not even finished!" Ash persisted. "Besides...it's not any good."  
  
Misty was just opening her mouth in protest when the door opened. Ash let out a very relieved sigh at the sight of his mother in the doorway, obviously grateful for the stop of the awkward conversation.   
  
Ms. Ketchem looked in at them. "Misty, your Doctor is here for a check-up... ASH! What in heaven's name have you *done* to your *room*?!!"  
  
Ash shrugged, and helped Misty up to her feet. "I'll clean it up..." Ms. Ketchem nodded uncertainly, and made her way down the stairs.  
  
"The way she treats me sometimes you'd *swear* she still thinks I'm ten!" Ash said in an annoyed tone.  
  
"Well, she still washes your underwear, doesn't she?"  
  
Ash was hushed. "Uh...buh...hey, I can do my own laundry!" He held her arm as they went down the steps.  
  
"Heh, *sure* you can," Misty said sarcastically, and Ash nudged her sharply.  
  
  
_______  
...To Be Continued...  
_______  
  
  
AN: I'm really sorry about how long this has taken. Again, I'm sick, so I don't much feel like sitting before a glowing screen for longer than I must. On a lighter note: due to popular demand (man, it feels good to say that), I will probably do more than 15 parts total...I don't know when the story will end yet, but, as sorry as I am to say it, it *is* coming to an end. But it's not over yet....(laughs evilly). See ya soon!! --StarGlider 


	15. Hope

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 15  
________________  
  
  
The Doctor listened to Misty breathe, holding his stethoscope to her back as it rose and fell a few times. "Things seem good..." he informed her, drawing the device away, "...exceptionally good." He shook his head, putting his things back into a bag. "I've never seen a coma patient come out of their sleep so smoothly, and then continue to recover at such a quick rate."  
  
Misty relaxed, watching carelessly as the Doctor jotted down a few notes on a pad before placing that, too, in his bag. She hadn't *expected* for there to be any problems. . .but somehow she'd felt a little nervous as Ash had brought her down the steps. Anything that forced her to remember her days in the hospital made her edgy.   
  
"However..."  
  
There was always a 'however', Misty thought. There was always something that wasn't mentioned to her in the first place. She hadn't been through so much already to have things told to her with a sugar coating.   
  
"...May I suggest that you continue to be careful? The recovery period after a coma is usually long and slow-paced. Even though you've become remarkably better in just a few weeks, you must be cautious, just to be sure..." He snapped his bag shut and took it in his hand, looking to Misty for a sign of consent.  
  
She nodded promptly. So she would be careful. Wasn't she *already* doing that? "I will," she said.  
  
Ash came in from the other room, smiling at Misty as he entered. "How's she doing," he inquired.   
  
"Great...she's getting much better. I'll be in for another check up in a couple weeks. So, I'll see you then?" He headed for the door.  
  
"OK," Misty waved. "Thanks." The door closed softly.  
  
"Well then," Ms. Ketchem, who had been eavesdropping, entered. "Everything sound good...  
  
"Yeah, I'd say so."  
  
"Ok...it's getting late, and I haven't gotten to making dinner quite yet. What do you say we go out tonight?"  
  
Ash and Misty brightened. "Really?" Ash asked.  
  
"Sure...I'll pay and everything. You game?"  
  
"Of course!!"  
  
Ms. Ketchem smiled broadly. "Well, you'd better get out to the car before I change my mind!"  
  
And with that, they were all grabbing their coats and heading for the door.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"A little lower...now...just and inch to the left...ahhhh...."  
  
Ash kneaded his palms into the back of a pajama-clad Misty, sitting on her canopy bed as he gave her a back rub.  
  
"Mmmm...I've been so sore lately. Thank you, Ash, I needed that." His hands slid off of her shoulders, and she turned back to face him blissfully. The feeling of his fingers on her back made her tingle with contentment all over. She held to one aching shoulder with her hand, suddenly remembering what she had just been saying. "Really...I've been real tense..."  
  
"It might be stress," Ash told her, taking in his hand and braiding a small section of Misty's hair, "you've been pretty busy lately, and I know it isn't getting any easier. All these things you've missed for years coming back to you, and then the wedding coming up. Heh, and not to mention your super-long therapy session tomorrow..." He stood up, pulling the sheets over the girl.  
  
"That's true... I'd almost forgotten about that. Why'd you remind me?" She smirked, but Ash just smiled back playfully as he tugged the comforter up to Misty's chin. "Oh, well, it's not so bad. It may be stressful, but I'm looking forward to the wedding."  
  
Ash nodded. "Yup. In fact, we're supposed to help get some decorations for the reception tomorrow, aren't we? Does your sister always wait for the last minute to do things?"  
  
"Dunno," Misty said with a faint shrug, "I thought Brock was in charge of the decorations committee. But still, given that the wedding is on Friday. . ."  
  
"Well, at least it's actually going to happen, and it's really exciting. I'm glad Brock is settling down, and even if it's hectic, I'm still happy to help out."  
  
"Yeah, it's neat."  
  
Ash leaned down to Misty and gave her a kiss. "Goodnight, Mist ...see you tomorrow, bright and early." He moved up from her forehead, but Misty pulled him back to her lips for an even longer, more intense kiss.  
  
Ash stood up straight after a few moments, the captivated smile slyly obvious on his face. He opened his mouth to speak something, but for a moment he lost his words as he looked at Misty's face.   
  
"It's...it's late," he whispered at last. "Goodnight."  
  
A smile fluttered across Misty's lips. "G'night, Ash."  
  
The light turned off, and Ash left, slowly closing the door behind him.  
  
* * *   
  
  
Upon entering the hospital the next morning, Misty found that she felt an air of excitement around her that she hadn't expected to experience. It wasn't that she *wanted* to go to therapy— she never had— but it was more of the fact that it was almost completely over with. And, as she limped into the therapy center, one simple yet all so real thing made her grin. Today, Misty was confident, she would walk on her own.   
  
"Good morning, Misty!" It was Dr. Johnson's voice.  
  
"Hi," Misty said, meeting the lady in the center of the room, "I'm ready to get started— right away."  
  
Dr. Johnson's eyes widened considerably. "Well, you're a bit more eager than usual..."  
  
"I really do want to walk," she said, leaning against her crutches. "And I really don't have much time left..." She drifted off with that last word, then looked back to Dr. Johnson. "...So...let's go."  
  
"Alright, then," the therapist responded, and gestured toward the weights in the corner of the room.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
It had been two hours. Two miserable hours.  
  
A very exhausted girl with her red-orange entered the white-fenced yard of the Ketchems. The tears burned in her eyes like a river threatening to overflow, begging for her to set them free. She let her body fall onto the white bench, gazing at the dead flowers as the water in her eyes began to obstruct her vision. Everything became blurry, and within her anger suddenly gripped. She held the two crutches in one hand and tossed them forcefully into the dying bushes, her sobbing only continuing to grow.  
  
'Why can't I DO IT?!!' she yelled inside her mind, 'why am I not *READY*?!!'  
  
That's what Dr. Johnson had kept telling her...  
  
She thought back just a little, momentarily recounting all the times that day she had told Dr. Johnson to let her try just once more without the bars or the crutches.   
  
"Don't tire yourself," the therapist had told her, "It won't make it any better. Your just not ready yet..."  
  
"But I HAVE to! I can do it! You just have to help me and I'll get it..."  
  
"NO Misty, I know what I'm saying, and I really mean it. It's not good for you to strain yourself like this. Next time I see you, we'll work on it some more."  
  
That would have been fine, Misty thought, but she wouldn't see Dr. Johnson again until the next Saturday—she was needed out of town for another patient. She had given Misty a list of exercises to be done every other day, but...  
  
"I want to... walk!" Misty wailed softly to no one but the rosebushes around her. "I NEED to walk..."  
  
More hot tears fell, landing in the grass and becoming hidden amidst the green. She just didn't have the balance...just couldn't stay on her feet...  
  
"Misty?"  
  
She froze. 'No....no....please don't let him see me this way...' She began to think, but then it occurred to her— that's all he would want, to be there for her. Right?  
  
"Mist, there you are. I was— Misty?" Ash looked at her, curiously concerned. "Misty? What's going on?"  
  
Misty really wanted to tell him, but she found that when she opened her mouth, all she could do was sob. With that, Ash promptly ran to her and held onto her hand, still asking, "Misty?! Are you OK?"  
  
"Yes...I mean...no..." she gasped, choking on her own sobs. "NO! No, I'm...I'm..."   
  
Ash held onto her tightly, his own concern for her hurting him. He waited.  
  
Misty's breaths became more even, and she slowly found herself able to speak clearly again. "Ash...Ash, I want to walk!"  
  
He looked slightly puzzled. "But, you..."  
  
"No, I won't for a long time! Dr. Johnson told me I'm not...not ready yet..."  
  
"Why not? I think you are, Misty! You just need more practice."  
  
"And that takes time!!"  
  
Ash bit his lip. "Yes...but you have plenty of that. You have a few days..."  
  
"And Dr. Johnson won't be able to help me. She's leaving for a while! I....I..." She broke into crying again.  
  
A few minutes passed in silence, Ash holding on to Misty, doing his best to stop her weeping.  
  
"Misty...Misty....it's alright....I can help you, if you want."  
  
She looked up to him, her cheeks glistening in the sun. Somehow, she hadn't been expecting him to say that. "You...you can?"  
  
He chuckled softly. "Of course I can! And I will! I'll help you walk again, Misty. I really want you to be happy, so I'll do anything if It will cheer you up."  
  
She found herself crying softly again— not for sorrow, but because she felt too lucky to have Ash— he was ready to do anything if it meant making Misty just a little bit happier.  
  
Misty suddenly felt foolish to cry over something like walking again...she knew she would eventually, and in time everything would be fine. Wasn't she just being selfish, then? It wasn't a big deal— now, with Ash's help, she *was* going to walk. She felt better now...she believed him.   
  
"Now come on...we'll work on that later. Brock called, and he says he needs help with the decorations. We're going to help get them ready."  
  
Misty smiled. "Trying to change the subject on me, Ash?"  
  
"Heh, no...actually, Brock was going to be here for us in about five minutes..."  
  
Misty gasped. "Holy cow— I have to get showered!! Wow, I'll be out as soon as I can— " And she jumped up from the bench, going as fast as she could, her crutches with her.  
  
Ash smiled after her, sitting back in the bench to wait for Misty— or Brock— whichever showed up first.  
  
  
  
__________  
To Be Continued....  
__________  
  
  
AN: At last, my friends, I have found enough time for another part of Misty's Awakening!!! Yay! Um, anyway, there is much excitement in store, so don't bail on me yet. In fact, I'm getting pretty pumped about what's coming up. I'll be back soon for another installment. See ya, and thanks a million billion for reading my fic! --StarGlider 


	16. Decorations

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Misty's Awakening  
Part 16  
________________  
  
  
  
Misty ran, as fast as her crutches would permit, to the car that waited outside the white picket fence. Ash was standing by the familiar sports car that Misty recognized as Brock's, and he held the front door open for her. Ash then took a seat for himself in the back, leaning forward to the two in the front.  
  
"Been waiting long, you guys?" Misty asked, not wanting to be a hassle.  
  
"Naw," Brock answered her, putting the car into drive, "just a couple minutes. It's no big deal, anyway."  
  
Misty smiled. "Good."  
  
The car pulled out into the road.  
  
They drove a little way, chatting as they made their way to their destination, and Brock told them of his thoughts for the wedding decorations.  
  
"Don't know why you bother trying to plan anything," Misty said, "because if my sister gets her way, she'll go through with the wedding she's been dreaming about since she was a kid. And she always gets her way."  
  
Brock smiled helplessly. "Yeah...I know."  
  
"So..." Ash said, "are we meeting Misty's sisters in the city?"  
  
"Yeah. They said that they'd meet us at the decoration store. So...that means we'll probably be there a while."  
  
"You said it," Misty told them, "they might not have the center pieces picked out until the wedding date has come and gone!"  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Sure enough, upon their arrival, Brock, Ash, and Misty found the three sisters waiting in front of the store, looking over a set of shelves filled with random accessories.  
  
"...that's not, like, the right color, it is?"  
  
"....look how totally perfect this would look next to the punch bowl!"  
  
"...forget it! Make him get you an ice sculpture!"  
  
Brock smirked, but straightened his face before the girls could turn around to see him.  
  
"Brocky!!!" Violet spun around to her fiancé, literally wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on as if her life depended on it. "I missed you, sweety! You're always so busy..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know." He hugged her back, then let her down, smiling at her lovingly. "But I'm just finishing up business so I won't have to worry about it after the wedding. I'm here now."  
  
Misty sighed at the sweetness, but caught herself before Ash had time to notice her glazed look.  
  
"Shall we, like, get started?" Lily suggested.  
  
"It's now or never," Brock said. "To the crepe paper!"  
  
The small herd rushed down the aisles of the store, beginning at the start of their unending mental shopping list.  
  
* *   
  
Misty and Ash had been assigned to the napkins and the plates, and separated, as the rest of the group had, to find their items.  
  
Misty held onto Ash's hand as they walked to the back of the store. There, they found a counter with balloons and a helium tank, candles on a shelf, and to the left, a rack with assorted utensils and plates.  
  
"They said to get clear plastic plates, didn't they?" Ash asked her as he observed the supply.  
  
"Yeah...with the bows etched onto them. Do you want me to grab the napkins from over there?"  
  
"Yeah, if that's OK. I'm gonna have to get a few boxes of these..."  
  
"OK." Misty took her crutches and slowly made her way to the napkin aisle.  
  
It was like millions of flags unfurled before her— every imaginable color a napkin could be, she saw it on the wall of the aisle. And, after all the colors, there were more napkins with all sorts of patterns decorating them.  
  
'This is crazy,' Misty thought. 'Who would need all these colors?' She found the particular hues she was looking for, examining them to make sure they were the right ones. 'I can't believe I'm here, doing *this*. Holy cow...are those red polka dots?!'   
  
She looked at a package of napkins that were, indeed, splattered with crimson dots. And, strangely enough, before she could even look away, she saw a hand reach out for them.  
  
Misty couldn't help but wonder what kind of wacky person would buy such a thing, and she found that she was staring at the hand. Nicely manicured nails— a woman's hand— and long, slender fingers. Something about that hand felt...familiar.   
  
Misty followed the arm up and found the women's face. When it clicked to her who she was looking at, she dropped her violet-colored napkins all over the floor.   
  
"...JESSIE!??!"  
  
The lady, whose hair was a deep pinkish-red, looked shocked. "Hnnh?! How did you...?!!"   
  
"Jessie! Jessie, from Team Rocket! It's YOU!" Misty found herself holding tighter to her crutches for fear of falling over.  
  
"You...you little brat! It's you, from Team Twerp! You scared me half to death! You could have been anyone, knowing my name..." She scowled at Misty.  
  
"Yeah...and believe it or not, I have a name, too."  
  
Jessie sighed. "Oh. So sorry. You're Misty...is that right? You're the one who had the accident, aren't you? I thought you were dead or something."  
  
Misty wasn't sure she liked the way Jessie had said that. "Uh...I was in a coma. I woke up from it a few weeks ago..."  
  
Jessie seemed to have calmed down slightly, and she folded her arms, still holding onto the polka-dot napkins. "Yeah...well, good for you. I haven't seen any of you twerps since...since that PokeMaster Wannabe lost his Pikachu. Poor kid. He took it hard. But he's the reason we got demoted, you know. If the Boss hadn't put someone else in our place...but then, that doesn't matter anymore."  
  
"What happened to your partner, and your Meowth?" Misty questioned.  
  
"Oh...they're getting the champagne." She smiled. "We're having a little party, you see. Don't get the wrong idea, kid, we have a good reason for it. And you're not invited, by the way." She grinned at Misty.  
  
"Well...what's it for?"  
  
Jessie looked stunned, as if she hadn't expected Misty to act curious. "Ah. Well, it's a long story..."  
  
Misty thought about how much longer her sisters might be skipping around the store, and found the strength to pursue further. "I've got time. Besides...it can't be that big of a secret."  
  
Jessie sighed. "Well, I'll make a long story short. I don't know *why* I'm telling you this...but...we're celebrating our resignation from Team Rocket."  
  
"You're KIDDING!" Misty cried, "You left Team Rocket?!"  
  
"Shh, kid! I don't want it to end up on the front page or anything! We're still wanted criminals." She smoothed her long hair. "It's just something that James and I decided. And, the cat agreed in the end." She shoved the napkins into her purse. "Well, just the same...old habits die hard." She smiled at Misty.  
  
"Uhh...yeah. So, you seriously left Team Rocket? That's good!"  
  
"It's alright, I guess. I liked the job...liked the adventure. But me and James felt cheated. The Boss kept giving us easier and easier assignments, and then, he kept replacing us with other people and lowering our pay. He started giving us dumb assignments over and over again. Pointless...waist of time. So, we decided to quit, and that's that." She bit her lip. "It wasn't as easy as you'd think, getting out of that place..." She shuddered.  
  
"That makes sense...you aren't wearing your uniform. And, your actually talking to me."  
  
Jessie looked down at the short black dress she wore. "Yeah, well...that uniform never flattered my figure, anyway."  
  
"Hey, Jess! Let's go!" It was James' unique voice calling, and Misty could hear the mumbling of Meowth nearby.  
  
"Well, kid, it's been nice talking. You're not as bratty as you used to be, you know? And... I won't ask what it is *you're* doing here...I bet you're getting ready for your wedding to that Ash kid. Believe me-- men aren't worth the effort."  
  
Misty smiled. "Sure."  
  
"Well...bye." Jessie zipped her purse shut and ran to join her partners.  
  
Misty sighed, astounded. She had to wait a few moments before remembering what it was she had been doing before she had found her former 'enemy', and then she picked up the napkins from the ground and took them in her hand, noting that she would have to get a bulk box of them.  
  
She stumbled back to the plate aisle, a strange smile on her face. "Ash," she said, "you'll never guess who I just ran in to..."  
  
  
  
_______  
...To Be Continued...  
_______  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	17. Walking

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 17  
________________  
  
  
Brock, his sports car now full of boxes containing every possible decoration there could be for a wedding, opened the driver's side door and hopped in.   
  
"Sorry, again," he said, pushing a package of ribbon away from the steering wheel, "but there's not exactly room for you in here!"  
  
"No problem. There's plenty of room in Daisy's car," Misty responded.  
  
"Well, don't let them stop at too many malls on the way home," Brock said, smiling. He shut his car door and began driving away.  
  
Ash and Misty both shrugged at once, and headed, with Ash's arm around her, to the small car where Misty's sisters were getting inside.  
  
"Adorable, aren't they?" Daisy cooed, sitting down in the driver's seat.  
  
"Of course! I wonder when *their* wedding date will be," joked Violet with a smile.  
  
Misty just shot her an annoyed glance and looked away.  
  
After they had been driving for a few minutes, Ash whispered in Misty's ear. "When we get back, let's go straight to the field."  
  
Misty wasn't sure why he wanted to, but showed with a nod that she assented.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was pleasant out, with the slight breeze hinting at the long, softly moving grass. Misty walked with her crutches through the grass of the field, Ash by her, and wondered still why he had so wanted to come out here.   
  
About halfway to their rock, Ash stopped.  
  
Misty, confused as ever, stopped also, and looked to Ash for an explanation. He looked at her, then walked up tp her.  
  
He held out his hand. "Can I see your crutches?"  
  
Misty rose her eyebrow. "I...sure..." She handed him one of the crutches, using the other still for balance.  
  
"And the other."  
  
Misty hesitated for just a moment, still confused, but was sure that he knew what he was doing. She tried to keep her balance on her own as she extended the other crutch to Ash.  
  
He took it, then dropped it along with its pair to the ground.   
  
"Ash...I can't—"  
  
"Yes, you can. Today. Here." He held out his arm.  
  
He was a few feet from her still, and it wasn't as easy as it seemed to reach him. She took one step, then another, then—   
  
"Ahh!"  
  
She fell to the grass, taking Ash, whose arm she had managed to grab at the last moment, down with her.   
  
They both tumbled down to the grass, Ash beginning to laugh as he rolled over onto his stomach. Misty smiled, too, at the sight of him.   
  
"I think you need to keep your balance as much as I do!" Misty cried, laughter in her voice.  
  
"Then if we walk together, we'll have as much balance as a single person!" Ash chuckled.  
  
As soon as they had gotten all of their laughter out, Ash stood again and helped Misty to her feet.  
  
"OK...let's do this," Ash said. "And if you can make it to the rock, I'll give you a present."  
  
Misty bit her lip, and held on tight to his arm. He took a step.  
  
Misty followed Ash's steps, carefully using him for balance, but also trying hard to use her own strength more than his.   
  
She stumbled once, but this time Ash caught her before she reached the ground. "It's OK," he told her, "you just need practice. You'll get better. Just keep going."  
  
She loved to hear him say that. If he said that, then it was true. And if he said she would walk, then it would happen.  
  
Eventually, she let her grip on his arm loosen. She held out her free left arm to help maintain more balance for herself. However, she also noticed that Ash was beginning to take faster steps.  
  
Misty could see the rock a few yards away now. "Just a little bit longer," Ash told her, walking a little faster.  
  
"Ash! Slow down!"  
  
He shook his head. "You'll be fine."  
  
She did her best to keep up, as well as stay balanced, as she followed Ash through the grass.  
  
She felt him pulling away a little more. She tried to hold on tighter, but the chance was gone. He moved away completely, and Misty found that she wasn't holding on to anything.  
  
"ASH!!" She cried in desperation. But she was walking.  
  
"Aashhh-aahhh!" She lost her balance after a few moments at the base of the rock, where Ash caught her in his arms.  
  
"Ash! You pulled away!"  
  
"You walked, didn't you?" He asked her with a teasing smile.  
  
"Well...yeah, I did, didn't I?" She felt her lips forming a smile, too.  
  
Ash held her up and helped her to sit on the rock with him. "So...I guess you deserve your present now."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
He grinned, and, holding her close to him, kissed Misty ardently on the lips.  
  
She kissed him back, not having expected *that* to be the present, but also feeling happily satisfied with it.   
  
"So..." Misty said when it had ended, "if I walk *back*, too, will you give me another present?"  
  
"You bet."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for?" She practically leapt up, pulling him up, too, and they both walked back to the road at the field's edge.  
  
* * * *  
  
The day of the wedding grew ever nearer, and with each passing day, Ash forced Misty to practice walking more and more. They returned to the field several time that week. Needless to say, she quickly regained strength and balance. In fact, by the time that the wedding rehearsal came, Misty was able to walk without help. She needed to stop and sometimes lean against the wall, or, in most cases, Ash, but she found that she was quite stable on her own.  
  
Ash was ceaselessly proud of her. Misty knew that when he watched her walk on her own, he felt almost as good about it as she did. She didn't know how she would have gotten through her recovery without him...  
  
The rehearsal went well. The wedding was to be the next day, but fears put aside, everything went perfectly. Misty was able to walk along with the others, and stood in her place without feeling too weak. Things were definitely looking up.  
  
After the rehearsal, Brock ordered a pizza to have for lunch and everyone ate thankfully, glad that the long practice was over, and they sat around talking.  
  
"You nervous?" Misty asked her sister as she sat down by her.  
  
The look on her face made it obvious. "Like, it's *only* the most important day of my *life*!"   
  
Misty patted her arm. "You'll be fine. Don't worry."  
  
"I can't help it! I mean, even *Brock* looks worried!"  
  
"Of course he is!" Misty said. "Guys are always worried about this sort of thing. But at least he seems ready to commit." She couldn't believe that she was saying things like that about Brock. She'd never really thought that Brock would be willing to commit to anything besides his Pokemon or anyone besides an Officer Jenny or a Nurse Joy. But...looking at her sister, she knew that there was something there. They were meant for each other, and there was no doubt about that.  
  
Daisy took a seat by the two girls. Misty looked up and saw that Ash was indulged in conversation with Brock and a couple of Brock's friends from the Breeding business, so she turned to her oldest sister.  
  
"Hey, Daisy— what exactly is the deal with you and *your* fiancee?"  
  
Daisy blushed a little. "Oh...well, he's not really...from around here."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, he doesn't live here. He's actually somewhere in the Orange Islands right now. Ya see, we don't see each other much, but we're thinking of having a small wedding sometime in a few months. He's just busy with his job— like Brock is always busy with his."  
  
"What does he do?" Misty asked.  
  
"He's a musician," Daisy answered dreamily. "He plays guitar in a band. He's been touring, and I met him once when the band came to Cerulean. They played music for one of our shows, in fact, and we just hit it off."  
  
"Go figure," Misty mumbled. It was like her sister, to fall for someone like that.   
  
"He wrote a song for me, once," Daisy went on. "Darren's a sweet guy, really. He's just, like, not around all that much."   
  
"Ahh." Misty remembered Ash and his guitar. He'd written a song, too...but...she frowned, thinking of how he wouldn't even let he look at it, let alone play it for her. Hadn't it had her name on it...?  
  
"Well, it's getting late!" Violet cut in. "We've got to get the decorations ready to be set up. We'd better go."  
  
They agreed.   
  
"Misty!" Ash said, finding her in the small crowd. "We're going to go straight home. You need your rest, and putting up reception decorations isn't going to make you any stronger."  
  
Misty sighed. "You're right. I suppose I'd better rest up."  
  
Ash smiled, and kissed her cheek. "Come on. Brock will give us a ride home."  
  
* * * *  
  
Misty's dream returned that night.   
  
She woke up in a cold sweat, breathing in fitfully. The images of a blinding snowstorm blowing in and forcing her to the ground were fresh in her mind. She remembered the drifts of snow that piled up, and finally, the huge gust of wind that blew everything away— snow drifts and all. Then she had seen herself in a dark world...  
  
Misty rose up from her bed and fetched a glass of cold water, drinking it halfway and then splashing some of it onto her face. She was fine, only a little stressed out, she told herself.   
  
She walked out to the front room, sitting on the sofa. Walk...she had just walked out here on her own. She had Ash to thank for that. She smiled, despite the thoughts of the dream, presently wondering if Ash was asleep right now. He looked so sweet when he slept...she almost could have walked upstairs to his room just to watch him sleep.  
  
Misty set the glass down on the coffee table and looked our the window. How lucky she was, to have been through all of this a still be here. She had nearly died, hung on by a thread for nearly three years, and even with that she had found that Ash was there when she woke up. How could anybody lose so much, and yet, gain even more, from such an accident? She had lost time, but just knowing that Ash was there for her now began to make up for that. She was beginning to think that, even with all the years gone, never to return, she had so much ahead of her. And Ash would be with her.  
  
Misty closed her eyes. Yes, she felt tired. She felt ready now to go back to sleep.  
  
She picked up her glass, setting it carefully in the sink, and made her way down the hall into her bedroom.  
  
'Tomorrow's a big day,' she thought as she snuggled under the sheets, and sleep came to her tired body quickly.  
  
  
  
________  
...To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Well, you've all made it this far! YAAAAAYY! Just don't give up on me yet. I know I take a long time to upload each part, so thank you for being so very patient! There will be a couple more parts, so hang on to your seats and don't press the EJECT button! It'll be out soon!  
  
--StarGlider 


	18. Final Preparations

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 18  
________________  
  
  
The day seemed just about perfect...  
  
Misty arose from her bed, standing by the window, and leaned against the pane. It was another cool day, but the sun was out, and so far only a few clouds menaced the gorgeous blue of the sky.  
  
It was 8:04, Misty noticed as she looked at her clock. The actual ceremony was to begin at 11:00. She would need to be there at the chapel to get ready soon, and as she pondered this, she thought about how crazy this day would be for Violet and Brock. They were certainly up and worrying by now— that is, if they'd even been able to fall asleep last night. Misty knew that if *she* were getting married, she'd stay up worrying and probably wouldn't be able to sleep, either.  
  
Misty walked out of her room. The bathroom was empty and the house was silent, so she grabbed her robe from the closet and headed in to take a shower.  
  
Once she had finished, she returned to her room, finding that in the time that is had taken her to shower, the house had woken up. She heard the sound of the T.V. from the kitchen, and knew that Ms. Ketchem was awake and most likely cooking breakfast.  
  
Misty closed her door and looked into her closet. There was the bridesmaids dress, its different shades of violet and beads around the v-neck, and Misty held it out and inspected it again. She wasn't to put it on until she got to the chapel, but somehow she was just dying to try it on now.  
  
She bit her lip, and lay it down on her bed with its plastic covering. She then got dressed in a skirt and white shirt, then slid her shoes on. It was 8:32 when she left her room and entered the kitchen.  
  
"Misty!" Ms. Ketchem greeted, "I thought that it was you in the shower. Now that you're ready, go ahead and have some waffles."  
  
Misty made to sit down at the table, then stopped. "Where's Ash, Ms. Kethem?"  
  
The women put her hand to her mouth. "Isn't he up?"  
  
"I don't think so..."  
  
"Oh, dear! He'd better hurry and get ready, because we need to be gone in an hour!!"  
  
Sensing Ms. Ketchem's worry, Misty left the table and began up the staircase to Ash's room.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"...Ash...." Misty whispered and shook the boy under the covers.  
  
"Uhhhh?"  
  
"Ash, get up!"  
  
"Uh? Why...?"  
  
"We need to go soon!"  
  
"Go...where?"  
  
Misty shook her head in semi-exasperation. "Violet. Brock. Cerulean City. Chapel. 11 O'clock. Wedding. Does *any* of that ring a bell?"  
  
"Ah-- UH!" Ash shot up from his bed, falling out of it and rolling down onto the floor.  
  
Misty laughed as she watched her...boyfriend. 'WHOA! Back up!!' she thought. 'Boyfriend...it's hard to think of him that way...boyfriend...well, I guess he is!' Her mental revelation made her smile even broader. She'd never thought of that name for him— just that he was 'with' her, loved her. Funny how she had looked that over before.  
  
"What?!" Ash asked, rubbing his bonked head.   
  
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about something all of a sudden."  
  
"What? About how I'm an idiot?" Ash smiled, too, and rose to sit on his bed to recover from his fall.  
  
"Well, that's half of it." Misty sat next to him, and looked at his head to see if there was a bump on it or any other injury. "But it's strange, Ash. Would you call me your...girlfriend?"  
  
He glanced at her. "Yes. Shouldn't I? I mean-- "  
  
"Yes! It's fine! But isn't it weird to think about?" She set her hands in her lap again, and looked at him, too. "So, we're officially, well, 'together', as people say? I've just never thought about it before! It's neat."  
  
  
"It is, come to think of it!" he said. "Hey! Misty has a boyfriend! Hah, hah, hah!" He said facetiously, causing Misty to smirk at him.  
  
"Yeah? Well, YOU have a girlfriend!" she mocked playfully, and they both collapsed into giggles.  
  
"You know, we're acting like we're ten again," Ash said. "And it's kinda fun..."  
  
"Reminds me of traveling again," Misty stated. "If you had ever had a girlfriend back then, I would have honestly laughed. You didn't even understand the meaning of the word, did you?"  
  
"Well, with all the guys looking you over, you getting a boyfriend could have become a reality," Ash said.  
  
"No...I had the chance, but did you ever see me take it? I wanted to stay with you..." Misty remembered all the other guys she'd met on their journey, and how she's always stuck with Ash. "I hope it won't sound too corny, but I'm glad I did stay."  
  
"Good," Ash said, "but if you had left me, you would never had gone into your coma."  
  
Misty was silent for a moment. "Ash," she said at last, a bit more quietly, "it was worth it. All of it. Don't forget that. I'm happy right where I am. I'll never have those years back, but I don't care so much anymore. Gosh...I feel so lucky just to be where I am right now!"  
  
"With me?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"Misty, you're the best...girlfriend a guy could ask for." He was laughing again, but leaned over to kiss her cheek.  
  
"ASH KETCHEM! GET YOUR BODY IN THAT SHOWER *NOW*!!!" The voice came from the kitchen, ringing through the halls.  
  
"Uhh!" Ash said, "I can't STAND her yelling at me anymore. OK, MOM!!! I'M GOING!"  
  
"Well...we won't have to for long."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We're leaving again. You still need to finish your journey, Ash, so now that I'm well again, I intend for us to do so soon."  
  
He grinned. "Yeah, that's true. As long as you're still willing to come with me."  
  
"Yes, I'm willing."   
  
Pecking her on the cheek, Ash stood with Misty and he headed for the bathroom.   
  
"Let's leave soon," Misty reminded him before he could close the door. "As soon as we can."  
  
"We will. Soon. I have a lot to catch up on, and the sooner, the better."  
  
"Right."  
  
Ash closed the door, and Misty sighed happily as she descended the stairs. She and Ash would go. Together. Just the two of them.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
"Oh! Misty— good! I'm so glad you're here! Like, go get your dress on right away or Violet will flip!"  
  
Misty, Ash, and Ms. Ketchem had just entered the chapel in Cerulean, where an exasperated Daisy had met her at the door. It had taken them a little while to get out the door, so by the time they had reached Cerulean, there wasn't too much time left before the ceremony.  
  
"Yeah, OK." Misty, holding to her dress, made her way back to the dressing rooms.  
  
She could hear Daisy barking more directions to Ash as she entered the room and closed the door. "Tuxedo! Hurry up and get it on! Brock's back there...dressing room to the right!"  
  
Violet, along with Lily, were behind a curtain making some final adjustments to be sure Violet's dress was perfect. Misty couldn't even see the dress--she had yet to see it for a first time.  
  
"Misty," Lily said from behind the drape, "get the dress on and I'll work with your hair."  
  
"'K." Misty walked behind another curtain and stripped down, proceeding to put on and zip up the bridesmaid dress.  
  
She brushed her hands over the skirt, twirling slowly around before the mirror. She hadn't felt this graceful the first time that she had tried on the dress, and now she felt like a princess as she watched the gown whirl about her legs.   
  
She sat down on a stool, sliding the black formal shoes onto her feet, and stood up to meet her sister.  
  
"OK, Lil, I'm ready."  
  
"Oh, good! Alright..." She emerged from behind the curtain, still looking in at and directing Violet. "Violet, just clip the veil on the left, so it's hidden in your hair...OK." She looked to Misty.  
  
"Wow, sis, you look sooo pretty!" Lily was already wearing her dress, and her pink hair was brushed majestically down her back. "Let's see your hair now..."  
  
She guided Misty to a large, mirrored vanity, and sat her down on the stool. She then began to brush through her orange hair and curled it with the already hot iron. Misty watched the mirror's reflection as Lily brushed and styled her hair, and at last, when her hair was shiny and curled at the bottom, Lily placed a violet flower among the red-orange mane of hair.   
  
"Done," she said. "Now you look perfect!"  
  
Misty smiled, feeling confident with what she saw in the mirror. "Thank you. And I bet that Violet looks absolutely gorgeous for her big day!"  
  
"She's a little...stressed out," Lily whispered, "but I think she'll be fine with everything once the ceremony is over with."  
  
"Lily, you're so good with all this bridal stuff, you should be the one getting married!"  
  
She giggled. "Heh, well, someday I will. But for now...I'm just proving that I'm better than all of you by not getting mixed up with guys. They take over your life and get you to do crazy things like marry them."  
  
"Speak for yourself!" Violet yelled from behind the drape.  
  
And Misty, for one, agreed with Violet.  
  
"It's almost time!" Ms. Ketchem yelled into the dressing room, and Misty suddenly wondered how Brock and Ash were doing in the other room. Certainly Ash looked especially handsome in a Tux...  
  
"Well, here we go," Lily said, "just a few minutes now!" And with that, she rushed back to the curtain to help Violet again, leaving Misty to wait by the vanity for the procession to begin.  
  
  
  
____________  
...To Be Continued....  
  
  
_________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: Da-dum-da-dum! Wedding bells are ringing! Er, anyway, for reading to this point, you all get a special **BONUS**! I have drawn a fan art for my story (would you call it a 'fan art' if the author draws it?)   
  
But if you'd like to see it, it's a wedding picture with the four sisters on Violet's wedding day! Yippee! I'm not the best artist, but I think it's a pretty nice picture the way it turned out. Copy and paste the address below into your browser and see if you like it! Yay! Well, anyway, I'll see you soon for part 19!  
  
  
http://starglider.eplugz.com/sensationalwedding.jpg  
  
  
(picture is (c) me (StarGlider) 2001. Don't use in any way without permission from ME!)  
  
  
--StarGlider 


	19. Wedding Day

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 19  
________________  
  
  
With Ms. Ketchem's word, the procession began.  
  
Misty and her two violet-clad sisters waited by the door, ready for their turn to begin their march toward the front of the chapel. Misty could hear the music sweeping into a loud wedding tune on the organ, urging the audience to look out over the aisle and wait for the coming line of people to emerge from the back door.  
  
"I hope I don't mess up," Misty whispered, to no one particulary.  
  
"How *can* you mess up?" hissed Daisy, "all you're doing is walking down the rug to the front."  
  
Misty shrugged. She felt a small rush of weakness in her legs at the very thought of suddenly losing step and falling down during the procession. She'd probably send Violet off crying, the perfectionist that she was. Well, she was more of one than Misty, and Misty knew that she personally would be embarrassed if the Maid Of Honor at her wedding took a tumble during one of the main points of the ceremony.  
  
"It's getting to be time..." whispered Lily to the others.  
  
"Ok...ready..." Daisy said softly, "....now! Let's go!"  
  
The three girls came out into the aisle, striding daintily towards the front. Misty looked about her, smiling faintly as she passed audience members. Some she even recognized— old friends, some distant relatives, and various other familiar faces. She wondered then, for just a moment, what it would have been like if her parents were here today.  
  
She hadn't though much of her parents at all, it dawned on her, since she'd woken up. In fact, she didn't think of them much at all ever. This was mostly because she knew she'd never see them again. They had both left— her mother dying after giving birth to her, her father running off soon after— and Misty only remembered vaguely that she had been juggled around other homes of friends and relatives until she and her sisters had moved into the Gym and made training there their livelihood. She couldn't say that it was the best way to live, but since she hadn't known her parents, she didn't miss them like maybe she should.  
  
She glanced back for a quick glimpse of the flower girl and ring bearer behind them— one of Brock's younger brothers and his little sister. They were sweet, both looking to be small replicas of their older brother. It made her laugh.  
  
Behind that, Brock, Ash, and the Minister were making their way up the carpet. Misty couldn't really look back far enough to see his face, but she got the idea from the way she could see Brock walking that he was a tad nervous. She was sure, too, that Ash found it comical that his friend was acting to jumpy, like he was walking down a street with Joys and Jennies surrounding him on either side. A nervous wreck.  
  
Everyone in the procession, coming up the front, took their places. Misty's sisters stood off to one side, but Misty stood a little closer to the middle, nearer to where Violet would come to stand. She looked up to Ash, who was standing near Brock, and the two exchanged a quick smile before directing their attention to the aisle again.  
  
Brock stood before the officiant, waiting, and biting his lip in anticipation for Violet. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting....  
  
Misty could practically feel his fear.  
  
And then she came.  
  
She walked alone down the aisle, a nervous smiling flashing over her lips as she came. Her dress was gorgeous— A-line, like the bridesmaids dresses, but it poofed out further at the skirt and the sleeves were a bit scantier. She looked beautiful in the pearly-white gown, and her pride, even amidst her fear, radiated throughout the room.  
  
Violet strode up to the front, the music stopping for her, and she looked at Brock. The Minister began to speak.  
  
Misty wasn't really listening. She was too busy worrying, in her way. She was almost beginning to feel afraid that they wouldn't go through with it, after all. She'd never seen either of them so uptight and edgy before.  
  
She suddenly felt herself being pushed back into reality again at the Minister's words. The ring bearer had come forward, and Brock and Violet were being asked that ever-crucial question that Misty had seen on T.V. so many times...  
  
"Do you, Brock, take Violet to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
  
He nodded, and said, "Yes, I do."  
  
Turning to Violet, the officiant asked her the same. Misty bit her lip, wondering if she'd change her mind...  
  
"I...do!" She assented, with a smile.  
  
Misty sighed in relief. What had she been thinking?   
  
And then, before Misty knew it, the veil was moved up from Violet's face, and they were kissing. So sweet, so right...Misty felt the grin take over her face. They'd done it. They were official. Brock and Violet Slate.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
The reception began later that afternoon, round about evening. Misty and her sisters stood in the line next to Violet, then Brock stood on the other side with some members of his family. People came through, congratulating and chatting briefly with the bride and groom, and occasionally saying something to the others in the line.  
  
The reception center was full now, people talking at tables or in little social circles all around the place. The table at the front of the room was adorned with bows and colored table clothes, topped with a centerpiece of a man and woman holding hands with a heart around them. There were little mini sandwiches at one end of the table, and champagne and punch at the other side. People periodically swarmed up to the tables and sat down again, chatting happily all the time.   
  
The room was dim, with white Christmas lights draping over the walls and tables, and just about anything else. Love music played sweetly through the speakers, everyone seeing the songs' very meanings in the smiles of the Bride and Groom. A net of lights canopied over the empty dance floor. No one was out on it...it seemed to be almost forbidden, until the Bride and Groom's first dance.  
  
Eventually, though, the line dispersed, and Misty found her way to the food table. She'd been so thirsty all day...and while a glass of water would have better satisfied her, she settled for some of the pinkish-red punch that seemed abundant at the refreshment table.  
  
She sipped at the drink, watching Violet with her trailing pearly dress being constantly stopped by members of the crowd.   
  
"What a day."  
  
Misty jumped, almost spilling her punch.  
  
"Hey! Ash!"  
  
He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and filled up a cup of the punch for himself. "It's crowded here, isn't it?"  
  
Misty relaxed, setting her cup down. "Ah, yes. I don't know very many of these people, either...but I guess that when two Gym Leaders have a wedding, they invite a lot of different people from a lot of different places. You meet a lot of people, being a Gym Leader..."  
  
"Yeah, you're right about that." Ash was taking a drink from his cup, then went on. "It's getting late, too...we've been here at least and hour and a half already."  
  
"And it's starting to rain worse out there," Misty told him, watching the window. She'd been noticing the storm's progression throughout the night, and it was continually getting worse.  
"I know! It was so nice out there earlier."  
  
Ash and Misty decided to sit at one of the empty tables (which they were lucky to find) and watched as people came and went through the reception hall. They both saw a few Gym Leaders that they knew, and Brock's numerous brothers and sisters occasionally ran by and under the tables. The music played over the building, giving it a romantic mood, and at last the first dance for the Bride and Groom was announced.  
  
Misty took Ash's hand and led him over to the floor with the rest of the crowd.  
  
"This should be a sight," Ash told her. "Brock trying to dance!"  
  
"Oh, give him a chance! I'm sure you don't know how to dance, either!"  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"It's a guess," Misty said, looking straight at him, "but hopefully, tonight, we'll find out."  
  
A scared look came over Ash's face. "But, I—"  
  
"We're going to dance, Ash," Misty told him and grinned. Before Ash could say anything more, the song had started, and Brock had taken Violet out to the dance floor.  
  
The couple held each other, moving rhythmically, and they swept around amidst the crowd of people who watched them. Somewhere, Brock must have learned to dance, because both he and Violet danced flawlessly as far as Misty could tell.   
  
Brock dipped Violet low to the ground, and she giggled, holding onto his strong shoulders, and they continued on until the dance had ended. Everyone cheered, and Brock bowed facetiously before the crowd. Laughter filled the room.  
  
The dance floor was now open, and a new song started to play over the speakers. Couples came out from the surrounding crowd and began to fill up the floor.  
  
"Ash..." Misty said, holding to his hand tightly, "let's dance! I've never done it before...please? We'll be embarrassed together!"  
  
He bit his lip. "Well...if it means so much to you..."  
  
She smiled, and pulled him out onto the floor.  
  
It was a slow song, and dancers out on the floor swayed around in rhythm to the music. Ash and Misty both had to look at the other dancers for examples of *how* to dance correctly, and then, with Ash's hands around Misty's waist, and her hands on his shoulders, they began.  
  
It felt stupid, really, and Misty almost found herself wanting to bail out on the whole dancing idea. But then, eventually, she began to feel a little less awkward and let the music lead her body.  
  
The song ended, but Misty and Ash, ironically enough, both decided on another dance.  
  
A new tune began, and the two of them came closer to each other. Misty moved her chin closer to Ash's shoulder, all the while listening to the words of the song that played. It seemed to speak to her. . .  
  
~~ "I would sure love believing   
in something that's never leaving...  
Would like to let go the hurting   
when everything's so uncertain  
  
You know I tried  
To show you what I have inside  
Will we laugh at how this all began  
When you're an old women and I'm and old man?  
  
Take me wherever you go  
Help me forget tomorrow  
Love me your best and I'll know  
All of the rest will follow  
Love me as well as you know  
And everything else will follow  
  
I wouldn't mind pretending  
It's something that's never-ending  
Would like to believe that someday  
We won't be living this way  
  
I know you tried  
To show me you were on my side  
Could it be that I've already found  
The thing that I've been searching the whole world round?  
  
Take me wherever you go  
Help me forget tomorrow  
Love me your best and I know  
All of the rest will follow  
Love me your best and I know  
Everything else will follow  
  
Take me wherever you go  
All of the rest will follow  
Help me forget tomorrow  
All of the rest will follow  
Love me as well as you know. . .~~  
  
  
The song ended, and Misty looked up to Ash, smiling. But it looked blurry...  
  
"Mist?" Ash asked her as she rubbed her eyes.  
  
"I've been up on my feet too long," Misty told him, taking a deep breath. "Come on, let's sit down...boy, is it hot in here..."  
  
"Yes, it is...all these people! It's like a sauna."  
  
"I didn't even notice that before now..." Misty let Ash lead her to a table again, and she had another drink.  
  
A few minutes flew by, and people came and went in a blur. Misty felt sick...fruit punch with nothing to eat for hours wasn't a good combination, she decided. She and Ash walked back to the refreshments together, and Misty took a small sandwich for herself.  
  
"Ash!" It was Ms. Ketchem.  
  
"What, mom?" he asked, turning to see her there. Misty leaned on the table and watched.  
  
"We're out of punch— refill the bowl, will you? Make sure you cut the grapefruit slices for the sides and to float with the ice...I'll refill the sandwich tray."  
  
"But...oh, fine." Ash didn't see a good reason to argue. "Mist, I'll be back in a few. You alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I am. But I'm going out to the patio for a while...It's just too hot!"  
  
"Ok...I'll meet you there. I'll even bring you more punch, while I'm at it." He shot her one of his sweetest smiles and was off with the punch bowl.  
  
Misty waited until he was gone, and then found her way through the crowd and to the patio door.  
  
  
  
  
  
_ _ _ _   
...To be continued...  
_ _ _ _  
  
  
  
AN: Sorry about the long (understatement) wait for part 19. I kid you not by saying so much has been happening lately. The song lyrics I used above are from the song "Follow" by Semisonic, I don't own them. Oh, and sorry if there are any inconsistencies with the wedding ceremony...I've never really known what exactly happens, so...I tried, so live with it. Until next time!!   
  
--StarGlider 


	20. Red Rain

AN: I know that this story is getting a bit out of hand length wise, and I know a lot of you are getting impatient with me. I'm sorry for dragging this fic soooo long. I think that there will be a couple more parts, and then I kinda need to end it =( Sorry to those who never want it to end, and sorry to those who wish I had ended it sooner. But to all of you, thank you a trillion and a half for sticking with me on this story! And now, we return to our story already in progress...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 20  
________________  
  
  
The rain slid down the roof and off onto the ground below with what seemed to be no friction, splashing on and adding to the puddles beneath the patio.  
  
Misty closed the door quietly behind her. She found the wooden railing with her hand, and held to it as she walked out to the edge of the patio.  
  
She knew that the patio was several feet above the ground, and it gave her a pleasing view of the forest that lay beyond the grassy field. The roof extended over it, so she wasn't even touched by the rain. She took in a breathe of cold air and savored it...it was so revitalizing to step outside of the crowded hall for a break.  
  
She couldn't help but think over the day's happenings in her mind as she stared into the rain. She wondered, too, about how much longer it would be before she and Ash could leave. She felt as though they were missing something that they could only find out there, traveling. Like they had before...  
  
She shook her head faintly. She wanted him to be completely happy. She didn't want to hold him back anymore from his Pokemon Journey, not for another day. Maybe she could talk to him about it when he met her out here on the patio.  
  
What would she tell him? That she was so tired of living in the now and was ready to start into their future together? That was how she felt. She had known him as he was for only a few weeks, but now that she thought about it, she'd known him for years, and always loved him. The first time she saw him, she'd found him oddly cute. That's why she'd never left. How many times she'd tried to convince herself to stay just a little longer to see if he'd give her a sign, she didn't know anymore, but she could never make herself leave until that day...  
  
And not that she thought about it, she probably would have ended up with Ash again. He'd always been there, in his strange way, for her to fall back on, even if things didn't always go so well. And he *had* gone after her...  
  
How many times had her thoughts fallen back to this? Too many. But now they were so much closer. So...hadn't it all been worth it?  
  
Yes.  
  
She sighed. All of this, and now, very soon, it would be just her and Ash. They'd both worked hard for this.  
  
Her head ached, and she decided to sit down by the railing on a bench. She curled one of her legs up to her chest, and continued to watch the rain shower over the darkness. The skirt of the violet dress whipped softly against her leg in the wind, and she closed her eyes for just a moment, losing herself.  
  
Why had love come to her so easily? It didn't seem right.  
  
But she'd been lucky, despite everything that had happened.  
  
'Stop,' she told herself. 'I'm thinking about this too much.'  
  
She waited.  
  
She opened her eyes, and saw a flash.  
  
"Hnh?" She looked out into the trees. There it was again-- a flash of red light.  
  
She brought her leg down, and stood up against the railing. The light came back, this time flashing again and again like a strobe light.  
  
She squinted, but it seemed to always be flashing. What was it? She followed the railing down the stairs and onto the wet grass. Shielding her eyes from the rain with her hands, she walked carefully towards the trees.  
  
The light grew brighter as she came closer to the forest, it seemed, and she made her way over the rise of grass in the moonlight to get an even closer look. Her shoes slipped and she fell onto the hill, but she took them off and, slowly, stood up again.  
  
She was drawn to it. Even the chill of her bare feet against the wet grass didn't slow her down, and as dizzy as she already felt, she didn't feel like stopping just yet. Not until she knew...  
  
She shivered, her silky violet dress becoming heavy with moisture and sticking to her legs. The wind blew the rain into her, her hair whipping into her face and neck. She watched the light...watching...watching...  
  
And with one last flash, her whole field of vision became red. Crimson flooded her sight, and she felt as though sand was weighing her feet down. She felt sick in the pit of her stomach, and her feet stumbled uselessly. She tripped over her skirt blindly and tumbled helplessly down the rise and into a group of aspens.  
  
She clung to the small trunks of the trees, trying futiley to stand, but she couldn't make her legs work. The rain that fell in her face looked as red as blood. She shivered as black took over the red.  
  
Everything was dark.  
  
She thought she heard a voice calling, but she knew that she was just imagining it...like she had imagined the light...  
  
Just ten minutes ago she'd been dancing. . .  
  
The wind whisked away her consciousness, and she could remember nothing more.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
The car waited outside in the rain, the crepe paper and silly string sticking to it damply as the rain ceaselessly fell. Ash came out from the hall, along with the others, and looked for her face.  
  
He hadn't found her out on the patio, and he hadn't seen her anywhere inside. But when the Bride and Groom had announced their leaving from the reception about fifteen minutes later, Ash realized that she must have left to take part in the car decorating. He had smiled, and gone outside with the others in the rain.  
  
He bid farewell to Brock and Violet, and, after all the good-byes had been given from the guests, the car made off into the rain.  
  
The crowd dissembled, and Ash found himself waiting. What kind of a game was she playing on him, making him have to search for her?  
  
But annoyance made way to worry.  
  
People were beginning to leave. Cars drove out of the parking lot, and people said good-bye to Ash. He smiled faintly and wished them well. But...  
  
Standing outside, he felt so cold...  
  
His heart leapt, and he ran out to the back of the reception center in the rain. He needed to check one more time. There was something that felt very, very wrong.  
  
Glancing over, he climbed the stairs and up to the patio. Still, she wasn't there. He turned.  
  
He looked out over the grassy field, and beyond a rise he saw the foliage of a small group of aspen trees...  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
  
Nothingness.  
  
She was lost in an ocean of cold darkness, drowning. She couldn't even cry out. She'd forgotten how, anyway...  
  
Misty didn't know where she was, or who she was, or why she was there. She hadn't been awake to feel the strong arms urgently lift her and shake her, the tears that had mingled with the rain on her skin, the blood that had run out from her wounds and onto the white shirt of the boy who had taken her away from the trees in his arms.  
  
She hadn't heard the siren calling dangerously in the distance growing ever nearer, nor had she felt her body being lifted onto the stretcher. For all she knew, none of these things ever happened or existed.  
  
Now, she just *was*.  
  
And she *wasn't* really anywhere, not that she could tell.  
  
A strange rhythm pulsed, but she didn't know what it was. It continued on and on...and on....it was all that she knew of the conscious world. The rhythm went on....  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
  
The boy in the white shirt sat, listening to the beeping of the heart monitor. The ripped violet dress, now stained with blood as was his shirt, lay draped over a hospital chair. It was still wet.  
  
He drew his hand through his damp hair nervously. The girl in the bed looked so cold, despite the pile of blankets that already covered her. So cold, and so still.  
  
Just like he'd found her.  
  
It had happened way too fast, and now he didn't really believe that it had happened at all. But there was no way to deny it.   
  
Maybe he should have been watching her. He should have told her to lay down the moment she had felt weak. He knew that he'd told her to take it easy...but why had she walked off in the rain? She knew that if she got too cold that....  
  
He didn't let himself think about it anymore. There wasn't any point.  
  
This wasn't fair. Not so much unfair for him, but for her. Hadn't she been through Hell already? Why this, why now?   
  
He clenched his fist, laying his head down on the blanket near the weak girl. He began to cry into it, sobbing, and he almost wished that she could hear him.  
  
He heard someone enter. He wiped his eyes with his sleeves and looked up to see the guest.  
  
"Ash...honey, you're so tired." Ms. Ketchem looked at him by the bed and sat down.  
  
"I...I know." He bit his lip and stood up.  
  
"Here, I brought you some hot cocoa. It might lift your spirits."  
  
"Thanks." He took it, not really wanting to drink it, but he took a sip to be kind. "What are the Doctors saying now?" he asked tentatively.  
  
His mother sighed. "Well, they're worried about hypothermia, as well as problems that were already present with the relapse. They're not sure what triggered it. They can't for sure say why..." She thought it wise to stop, knowing that Misty was hanging by a thread, and that Ash already knew. He didn't need to hear about it anymore. She wished he wouldn't ask.  
  
"How...how long?"  
  
"How long?"  
  
"She's going to...well, I mean, isn't she? She...she was barely alive..." Tears were coming down in streams again.  
  
"Ash...no one knows. There's still a chance."  
  
He looked at the deep brown liquid in the mug. "She wouldn't just let herself die, would she...?"  
  
Ms. Ketchem shook her head.  
  
"She doesn't even realize we're here...I can't even tell her good bye..." He stared dreamily at the mug, but looked up suddenly. "Mom...can I see the car keys?"  
  
"Huh? But, Ash, you're not just going to leave..."  
  
"No--I've go to do one thing, really quick. Please...the car keys!" he stood up frantically.  
  
"Sweetie, I'd just assume you-- "  
  
He rushed over to her purse and drew from it the keys to the car. "I'll be right back...watch her."  
  
"Ash!"  
  
But he was out the door.  
  
  
  
________  
...To be continued....  
________  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: Forgive the cornyness, but keep with me here....  
  
- 


	21. Unreachable World

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 21  
________________  
  
  
Ash entered his house, running in through the door and racing up the stairs like there was no tomorrow. He threw his room door open, and turned on his light to reveal what it was he was looking for.  
  
He didn't see it immediately, but he knew exactly where it was.  
  
Tears blinding him all the while, he knelt down on the floor and looked under his bed.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Things that Misty didn't quite recognize as thoughts flashed through her mind, confusing her more and more. Yes...the rhythmic pulse she felt....no...*heard*....it was a sound, not a thought. You couldn't actually *think* a sound, could you?  
  
But she heard. She heard, and her ears were open. But she still didn't understand.  
  
Where she lay was a complete mystery. The man she heard talking to other people in the room in a solemn voice, she didn't know. The boy that cried into the blanket which she rested under, she didn't recognize. And when she heard the door slam and a women cry out for her son to come back, she didn't comprehend. It was all jumbled up noises to her.  
  
But she was aware that something wasn't right. She could hear noises that were around her, but she couldn't see what made them. Well, she didn't exactly realize that she was supposed to see, or feel, but she sensed something was missing. Something didn't click...  
  
But then, how could anything make sense when she didn't even know who she was?  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
It was still raining.  
  
Ash pulled the car into the hospital parking lot, hoping with all his heart that she was still alive. He just didn't want to watch her slip away and not do *anything*...  
  
He parked and jumped out of the vehicle. He grabbed something out of the back seat and, without bothering to shield his face from the rain, he determinedly made his way to the entrance.  
  
"Ash!" Ms. Ketchem cried as he entered the room, "Ash, what were you thinking?! You shouldn't just leave when she's like this—"  
  
"Yeah, I...know..." He was panting now from the run up the stairs— he hadn't wanted to wait for the elevator. He put the thing he had brought down on the bed.  
  
"What the...Ash, you went for that?"  
  
"No, you don't get it. Mom...could you just...could you leave for a minute?" He looked at her seriously. "Please?"  
  
"Oh, Ash...you..." She was lost for words. She didn't know what he was thinking, but wasn't offended. She understood that he might want some time alone. After all, Misty might not...  
  
She shook her head at the thought. "Yes, Ash. Yes...I'm sorry." She stood up and stepped out the door.  
  
Ash let out a breath, and looked down at the girl who was so close to leaving him...again. He then urgently turned to the object he had left on the bed. He watched it, as if it would do something on it's own, and then turned to it. He opened the case...  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Beep....  
  
Beep....Beep....  
  
Beep...Beep....Beep....  
  
The pulsing sound went on. It droned, and sent Misty into another state of mindlessness. It was strange, being able to think, but having nothing to think about.  
  
Misty wanted to reach this world that she could hear. She didn't know it, but she wanted it so badly. Certainly there was more to this way of living than only hearing, and feeling nothing at all. Most of all, she wanted to know what was happening to her.  
  
Beep....Beep....  
  
There was nothing, still. She searched with all she had for a memory, but nothing came to mind. Something, anything, to connect her with this other world...  
  
And then...  
  
A new sound. A lovely, beautiful sound. A familiar sound.  
  
It was new, though...in a refreshing way. It was something that she *knew*, but had never heard before. It was rhythmic, but in a different way than the beeping she heard. In fact, she couldn't hear the beeping anymore at all, not over this new sound.  
  
A word crept into her mind. Music.  
  
Yes!! Music! That was it.   
  
And, with that, more words found their way into her thoughts— song, guitar, singing...all of that was what she heard.  
  
And a voice that sang along with the mucic. Yes, she knew that voice.  
  
It was....  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Ash held the instrument in his hands, strumming the strings on the notes that were written on the paper. He had words, too, and he sang them as well as he knew. He never thought he'd do this...but hadn't he written this song for her, after all?  
  
The song entitled 'Misty' had been sitting in the bottom of the guitar case for a long time. Ash had forgotten about it until that day when Misty had found it, and he had been glad to get it away from her before she could read it. He felt embarrassed. But now, it was his humble offering to the girl that he loved so, who was falling away so quickly...  
  
He knew his voice wasn't perfect, but now he found himself wishing that, despite his less than perfect singing, Misty could hear him. He hoped...  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Misty's heart leapt. Yes, she could almost feel her own heart beating.   
  
Ash!  
  
His heavenly voice filled her senses. She could hear him...Ash was there. But he was in that unreachable world...  
  
The song he played for her was so amazingly beautiful, and she wished that it could lift her away from this hell that held her captive. And it almost felt like it was. Ash was playing for her. Singing for her. It was the song he'd written for her.  
  
She was completely overcome. She wanted so badly to see him, to touch him. She wanted him to know that she heard him, but she had no way to communicate. She felt like dying...she wanted to see him so badly.  
  
The song ended. Quiet. All that she heard was blurry, anyway, but she could have sworn she heard sobbing...  
  
She tried with all she had to do *something*. She wanted to move, to cry out. But she couldn't. She felt paralyzed, and she could do nothing.  
  
Her emotions were unbearable.  
  
She'd never felt so helpless...  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Ash set the guitar down. He was hardly aware of the tears coming again, but he was too lost in thought to have cared. This was his way of saying goodbye, and he was done.  
  
He set the instrument back in it's case with the music, and moved it off the bed. He looked to the girl laying in bed.  
  
She was still.  
  
A sob escaped him.   
  
He hadn't expected any miracles. Of course, she was still headed for the same fate. Nothing he could do could save her, but he had hoped somewhere inside of him that it would.  
  
He turned away. At least, he thought, she would be around for a little longer. Her heart was still beating, and as long as she was alive...  
  
But she was sick, too. It was different this time. She was truly dying, wasn't she?  
  
He looked back at Misty.  
  
"Goodbye, Misty..." he whispered. He didn't want to say it, but he may never be able to..  
  
Wait.  
  
On her face, there was something different.   
  
Ash leaned down to examine it. Yes...there was something strange. On her cheek, he saw a tear coming down from her eye. She was crying.  
  
Did she know? Could she hear?  
  
"Misty! Misty, please...can you hear me? Misty?" He was so desperate for a response...  
  
But at least he knew that, somehow, she understood.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
______  
...To be continued...  
______ 


	22. So Close

________________  
Misty's Awakening  
Part 22  
_______________  
  
  
Ash's ears were filled with the sound of the heart monitor, and soon after he opened his eyes to find himself in the dreary hospital room, lying next to Misty on the bed.  
  
He rubbed his eyelids, opened them again, and found that he could see more clearly than before. The room was empty, and quiet, save the beeping. He'd forgotten that he had fallen asleep by Misty's side the night before. When had he drifted off...?  
  
He spotted his guitar case, leaning by a chair, and saw the tattered violet dress again flowing down the chair's back, nearly brushing the floor. His mom must have moved the case away from the bed. Ash remembered that he had forgotten about it when he'd been crying last night. He had been calling to Misty, trying to get her to respond somehow, and when she didn't, he'd laid down by her and carefully whispered to her that it was alright. He had a feeling that she could hear him, so it wasn't in vain.   
  
Then, he figured, he'd fallen asleep by her out of desperation and all around fatigue. He hadn't gotten much sleep lately, running around and trying to help out with everything. He needed a rest.  
  
The door clicked open. Ash looked up to see the Doctor, equipped with his clipboard and usual charts  
  
"Good morning, Ash," the Doctor said artificially, trying to smile.  
  
"Hey," Ash responded. He sat up in the bed and brushed away a stray hair that had fallen over his eye. "How...how is she today?"  
  
The Doctor observed the monitors, jotting down info here and there. "I've never really seen anything like it before," he began. "It's hard to tell what will happen yet. She's holding up..." He was staring at this clipboard.  
  
Ash sighed. "I don't understand all this. She was doing perfectly fine...I mean, up and walking and all that. She was acting normal, and then I find her lying outside like this in the rain. How could it happen?" He looked almost angry now, staring at Misty's pale face.  
  
The Doctor turned to him, lowering his papers. "A relapse. That's all I know for sure, but *how* it happened, I'm not sure of. Yes, she was doing well, but I remember saying that she had ought to take it easy. Was she?"  
  
"Mostly, I think. She wanted to do lots of things, but I had to stop her, just incase something happened. She was careful..." He trailed off, lost in thought.  
  
"It may have been exposure to the heat indoors, of the cold outdoors, or maybe she just tried to walk to early, before she really had the strength. But she was too weak and collapsed for some reason."  
  
Ash nodded. He knew. He didn't need to hear any more, but he was still curious as to why she'd fallen back into a coma. Why had she let herself....  
  
He cursed at himself. It wasn't her fault. She was responsible. But he'd been the one to push her into walking...he could have told her to slow down instead...  
  
He let himself fall back onto the bed. He lay, face down, on the pillow,, wishing nothing more than for the girl sleeping next to him to wake up. He didn't want this to be his fault, but he couldn't force himself to feel otherwise.  
  
The Doctor left without another word.  
  
It had been his fault from the beginning, the realized, and now, it was his fault again. He'd never deserved to have Misty— and now he was the worst thing for her, wasn't he?  
  
But he couldn't stay away from her.  
  
'I'm too tired,' he told himself, 'that's why I'm thinking this way.'  
  
And he hoped that was true as he closed his eyes again.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
It was a very...detached feeling.  
  
Like, Misty thought, she barely had a hold of it. But she was reaching...  
  
Only her brain could grasp it. She had no hands to hold to it, no fingers to cling to it. The power of her thoughts, willing her to take power of this feeling, was all that she had.  
  
She tried as hard as she could to 'find' this feeling.   
  
But when she tried grasp to it, it was like holding on to water.   
  
But the more she wanted it, the more it seemed possible. She thought it, wished it, hoped it, and all at once it was drifting closer and closer.  
  
Mentally, Misty reached across the void of her mind and held on as tight as she could. She pulled it closer. It seemed to struggle against her.  
  
But this time she had it. She felt it now. It exploded throughout her, and she knew it was hers. This feeling was moving through her now.  
  
And suddenly she was aware of things she hadn't known she could understand again. The void in her mind was filled again. There was a tingling all around her.  
  
Warmth. A feeling she had trouble remembering at first, but it came to her. It was a warm feeling right next to her. And then she realized what was so different now.   
  
She could *feel*.  
  
She felt everything--the sheets around her, the pillow that propped her head up, the warm breath that was breathing onto her skin. And she wanted to cry out in joy.  
  
Something next to her moved. She felt joy again, because she knew that the thing next to her was Ash.   
  
Ash was still with her.  
  
But she could not move, only feel. She could not speak, only listen, for that had come back, too. And she could suddenly hear the beeping of the monitor and even the sigh of Ash as he moved slightly by her on the bed.  
  
He stopped moving, and Misty knew that he had fallen asleep.  
  
If only he knew that she was reaching out for him...trying so hard to just touch him....  
  
But her body would not permit.  
  
For just an instant, she wondered if it would have been better to still see and feel nothing. Then, she wouldn't feel this torture.  
  
But she didn't regret it. She had touched the unreachable world, and she wasn't going to give it up for anything.  
  
  
  
  
  
____  
...To Be Continued....  
____  
  
  
  
AN: Sorry it is so short, but at least it's a new part! It's the best I can to for the moment. More soon! 


	23. Falling

Misty's Awakening  
Part 23  
  
  
She felt so close to being awake that it pained her.  
  
Yes, she could feel pain. She could feel everything. She could feel that Ash had sat up and left a few minutes ago for no reason she knew, she could feel the draft of cool air as the door to her room opened a minute later, and she could feel the extra blanket that had been thrown over her, trapping the warmth which now she further felt. It must have been Ash who had found the blanket for her, then. But he didn't lay back down. He just sat on the edge of the bed and did nothing.  
  
Misty worried for him. She knew he was worried for her, too, which was why she was so distressed. She didn't want him to be anxious...if only he could know for sure somehow that she felt alright, even if she couldn't move. She was alright. She was perfectly fine, except that she couldn't....couldn't....  
  
So perhaps that made her *not* alright. She couldn't even move— how could she try to justify that she *was* alright?   
  
How long had she been here....a day? A week? A month, a year, a decade, perhaps? A million years could have passed, she had no way of knowing. Time had little meaning to her anymore.  
  
If it had, it would have been a nuisance to her.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Mrs. Ketchem set the package in a pile upon the table, along with the others. Glancing up at the clock in the kitchen she noticed that it was nearly seven at night, and her mother's instinct took over. Where was Ash? He said he'd be back by six thirty. Maybe it'd been harder to get home than she'd thought....but she couldn't leave him with the car anymore, she had to go to work and she needed the car to get there.  
  
He had money in his wallet, she mused— he'd be fine. But she'd feel much better if he'd get home. It was important. Especially since today was supposed to be a special day for him.  
  
She sighed. The house was clean— she'd been tidying up ever since she got home from work. Hopefully that, along with her other small offerings, would help him out a little today.  
  
The door knob jiggled. Mrs. Ketchem looked up, the sound of the rain forgotten, and thankfully it was Ash who entered into the living room. She jumped up and hugged his wet frame.  
  
"Oh, thank God you made it alright...."  
  
"Mom.....what's wrong?"  
  
"I was worried, naturally. It's such bad weather out there, and I wasn't sure if you'd get back ok."  
  
"Of course I would," he said gloomily, "I just missed the first bus so I had to wait a little longer. I left the hospital a little too late to get the first one."  
  
"I'm glad you caught one, at least." Mrs. Ketchem fumbled with a piece of ribbon in her hand. "Oh, Ash! Come into the kitchen— there's something for you in there."  
  
Shrugging, the boy— who acted much older than a boy now— followed his mother into the kitchen. She flicked on the light, and smiled at the sight.  
  
Ash saw a stack of presents sitting on the table— at least ten or fifteen of them— and a cake next to them. He chuckled.  
  
"I almost forget." He laughed a little harder in spite of himself.  
  
"Happy birthday, Ash." His mother turned to him to give him another hug, but was stunned when she had to look up to see his face. "My, haven't you just grown so much without me even noticing!"   
  
They both found themselves laughing a little at this, and they hugged again. Afterwards they sat down at the table together, and Ash shook his head.  
  
"I don't need all this— it doesn't even feel like a birthday at all. I wasn't expecting this."  
  
"Who are they from?" Mrs. Ketchem asked. "They've been coming in the mail all week, but I decided to surprise you with them all. I'm just not sure who sent them all."  
  
"Let's see...." Ash inspected some of the return addresses on the outside of the packages. "Here's one from Professor Oak.....one from Todd...oh, and this one's from Brock and Violet."  
  
"Ah, so sweet. It's been, what, two months since the wedding?"  
  
Ash nodded. "About."  
  
"They are so adorable together. Well, anyway, won't you open your gifts?" prompted Ms. Ketchem.  
  
Ash bit his lip. "Naw. I think I'll just call it a night. I've got work tomorrow, you know."  
  
"That's true...are you regretting it that you decided to take your old job back?"  
  
"Yes, and no— I really need the cash." He was cutting himself a small piece of the cake that sat on the table now.  
  
"Do you? What for?"  
  
He took a bite. "Something very big."  
  
"Sounds like you want more money than the PokeMart's going to give you. What are you planning— to buy a condo in Hawaii?"  
  
"How did you know?" He finished the cake in one big bite and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Ash was there. That was just how she wanted it.  
  
It was like she was emerging from a cocoon. She felt so suddenly different that is shocked her.  
  
She knew, without really knowing, what was going on. She was slipping out, falling onto a whole new plane....  
  
Like she had just escaped from the ropes tied all around her, and now....  
  
....now she was  
  
f....  
  
a....  
  
l....  
  
l.....  
  
i....  
  
n....  
  
g.......  
  
...  
  
..  
  
.  
  
* * * *   
  
  
The sun wasn't there when her eyes opened, like it had been the other time. No, this time it was gray that welcomed her.   
  
But she *saw*, and therefore, she didn't care what it was that she saw.  
  
Her eyes couldn't easily adjust to the new world. Actually, she thought, it wasn't new, but she'd missed it so much that it felt better than new. She felt her hand against the blankets, and she wiggled her fingers. They moved stiffly. She let out a small cry of uncontainable joy.  
  
And Ash was there.  
  
".....Misty....?" His voice was tentative.  
  
"Ash." Her words were clear.  
  
There was simply nothing more to say, for within an instant they're arms were overlapping each other. They cried together, then laughed together, and then began crying again. But through it all there was nothing more to say. It was sheer joy that illuminated from Ash and Misty as they embraced on the bed, and time seemed to stand still for.  
  
It was only them, and nothing more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
------  
....To Be Continued....  
(just once more!)  
  
  
  
AN Sorry, I have no clue when Ash's birthday really is so It's probably wrong, but you don't mind, right? Ok, I've decided that there will be ONE more part. There is so much going on and if I want this to stay a good quality story than it has to end. it's been a fun ride. I'll get the finale done as soon as I possibly can.   



	24. The New Journey (with epilogue)

Misty's Awakening Part 24 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
* * * *  
  
Two Weeks Later:  
  
* * * *  
  
The ring was the most stunning thing Misty had ever seen.  
  
It sparkled in the sunlight, more brilliant than the sun or the stars or the moon. It held its own world of meaning.  
  
The box was held out before her. Misty had forgotten where she was, and her entire world focused upon the little piece of diamond that was being offered to her. Offered? No, *given*.  
  
People didn't just *give* other people diamonds. They were too expensive. They represented, on a ring, the undying feelings of love that two people possessed for each other. It meant a new bond that should never be broken. It meant....meant....  
  
Getting married.  
  
And Misty remembered, suddenly, where she was.  
  
The grass waved at her and Ash like an applauding crowd, ushering Misty to answer the question that still hung uncertainly in the air. The rock where she sat had felt cold but a moment ago, and now she didn't even know of its existence. It was a perfect day, only a small nip of cold in the air, and a breeze was wafting over the field beneath a crisp blue sky.   
  
Her lips were parted. She wasn't sure why. Was she supposed to be answering something? Maybe this was a dream, or maybe she was still in a coma and all of this was playing out in her mind as if it were real. At this thought she gasped quietly. Was this person in front of her, the one she loved, not here in real life but only in some funky hallucination induced by a coma relapse? Was it....  
  
'Stop it,' she thought. She was far too old for such silly thoughts. This had to be real, right?  
  
All of it was real. Waking up again from her coma, slowly regaining strength over the following weeks, returning to Ash's house again to stay in their guest room. She'd been very careful lately, just to be sure that she didn't make the same mistake that she had before, that night, when she'd worn herself out and wandered off into the cold night....that had been a dumb thing to do. She nearly killed herself. Ash had told her all about it, like when he'd carried her up to the ambulance and then waited at her bedside at the hospital. He'd wondered all along if she'd pull through....and she almost hadn't.  
  
And she'd lived, and so now she was here. *Really* here. With Ash. Who had just asked her a very important question.  
  
Ash seemed very nervous. Misty couldn't recall seeing him this nervous ever before, and as he sat there, staring at her face, Ash seemed quite worried about something. He was waiting....for her.  
  
Misty looked down at the ring, then glanced up at Ash's face, then down at the ring again. The diamond wasn't as big as it had seemed right at first. She couldn't have cared less. A few years ago she probably would have been a bit more concerned, but now this little diamond that Ash had bought just for her with his savings from the PokeMart job meant so much more than any large rock would.   
  
Ash....he'd been acting a little differently these past few days. He must have been trying real hard to keep this secret concealed. That must be a hard secret to keep.   
  
Oh! And he wanted an answer from her. She would make this much easier for him if she just said....  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ash's face lit up. There was a strange kind of silence. He looked, almost, like he didn't quite believe what she'd said.  
  
"Yes, Ash, I will marry you."  
  
That seemed to satisfy him. "Misty..." he whispered as a real smile broke for his lips. He slid the little ring onto her slender finger, and they both laughed. Misty found tears gathering in her eyes. Ash was starting to cry, too, she noticed.   
  
They didn't need to say another thing then, because within an instant their lips had met and they were holding each other and crying all at the same time. After the kiss they just laughed, letting the tears roll down their cheeks as they held onto each other, looking into the other's eyes.  
  
"Ash....I love you," Misty told him. She let her head rest on his shoulder as soon as the excitement had subsided a little.   
  
"And I love you, Misty. With all my heart."  
  
She smiled. This was a bond that would never be broken.  
  
Kissing Ash again, she went over again in her head all that they'd been through. She thought of the wedding that had taken place only a few weeks before.  
  
"But Ash...I want to suggest just one thing, alright?"  
  
He raised his eyebrow. "What's that, Mist?"  
  
"Let's elope."  
  
* * * *   
  
Indeed, it was a simple wedding. Misty insisted on not making it much of a big thing, and Ash had no objections to that.   
  
It was midwinter when they met in the chapel to exchange their vows, with only a select few people present. The engagement period had lasted but a few weeks....as Ash had put it, "It feels like we've been engaged for years already." They both wanted to get married, so they saw absolutely no need to wait. They were young, but in just this recent year they'd both grown more than most people grow in a lifetime.  
  
Snow blanketed the ground thinly as they left the chapel, this time as husband and wife. There would be no reception, even though Misty knew she probably could have handled it after all. She had gotten so much stronger. But still, they decided to just leave on their honeymoon. After all, they were quite excited to be on their way to the cabin in the mountains, which Ms. Ketchem had arranged for them to stay the weekend.  
  
They made their way down the stairs, snow falling over them like soft confetti, and a few friends and family members waited by the car. It was simple, Misty thought, but so perfect. Ash was holding her arm for support, keeping her warm. Perfect.  
  
Ms. Ketchem met them, with her arm latched around Professor Oak's. Ash and Misty looked at each other at the sight, laughing with their eyes, and all the people crowded around for their congrats and goodbyes.  
  
"Good luck, sis," Misty's sisters said, tears in their eyes. She hugged them all, her own eyes beginning to cloud  
  
"Congrats, Misty," Brock said, and Misty turned to face him. "Don't let Ash cause you too much trouble, OK?"  
  
They both laughed, and she hugged him too, tightly. "Thanks for being such a good friend, Brock. It means a lot."  
  
He smiled warmly. "And I can say the same for you."  
  
Ms. Ketchem hugged her, too, and Professor Oak, and there were a few more good lucks and congratulations. Then she turned to see Ash, waiting by the car. His face, positively beaming, could have melted the winter snow. Misty ran to him, her long, white coat tracing over the ground slightly, her body falling into his arms, and she gave him another kiss.  
  
They waved to everyone, and got into the car.   
  
The vehicle drove off, and snow flew up behind it like a mist.  
  
Even after all they'd overcome, they were the two happiest people alive. And they were one, now.   
  
Their life together was starting, right now.  
  
And than they were gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Epilogue   
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Spring.  
  
The flowers were only just starting to rise up from the ground, renewing the earth, singing a brand new song. It was like magic.  
  
A sound came from the little cottage, the one that Mrs. Oak (only weeks ago Ms. Ketchem) had owned once. She'd moved into her husbands home, however, and was letting her son and his wife stay there for a while.  
  
"ASH!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What do you mean, 'huh'? We've got to get going! I should have known you'd never grow out of sleeping in late!"  
  
Ash smiled, and leaned over to kiss his wife who sat next to him in bed. "Right, right...I'm getting up. I know we need to go— you all packed?"  
  
Misty huffed. "Yes, of course. I was ready last night."  
  
"And now, I just—"  
  
"I've already packed for you."  
  
Ash shot up. "You did? Wow, you're on the ball, aren't you?"  
  
"Yup, where would you be without me to do these things for you? Oh, and I packed you plenty of clean underwear, by the way."  
  
Ash laughed, and got up from the bed. Misty was already dressed, so he hurried himself through the shower, and then got dressed himself.  
  
A quick breakfast, and they were out of the house.  
  
Each of them had a backpack, and no more, as they left the front yard. In her pack, Misty had all of her pokemon, and in Ash's, he had what were left of his and even a couple more he'd caught in the forest. He was ready now, at least, as ready as he'd ever be.  
  
They walked up over the hill together, the early morning sun cascading its friendliness over everything. There was so much to be explored, even here in this insignificant town. But they weren't staying here.  
  
Down they went, into a blooming field, and Ash took Misty's hand. He was so thankful to her for this....  
  
"You sure you ready for all this, again?" Ash asked his wife.  
  
"Absolutely. We're going to finish what we started all those years ago. Now."  
  
He smiled. He'd been waiting for this. He didn't feel too old for it, or unsure, or discouraged— not now, since Misty had persuaded him. And he really did want to go on with his pokemon journey.  
  
Azure skies stretched out like opportunity for the young couple. This was the perfect life. This was the way they had wanted it.  
  
Ash and Misty Ketchem walked through the majestic fields, reaching the forest.   
  
"Here we go again," Misty said, and they walked into the shade of trees.  
  
Together.  
  
No matter what hardships befell them.   
  
Because this— Ash and Misty, together— was how it was always supposed to be.  
  
They could no longer be seen from the hilltop, but the little Pikachu knew where his master had gone. He squealed with delight and bounded down into the fields and toward the forest. It had been a long journey for him, too....  
  
But now it was over.  
  
Only minutes later, the whole forest was echoing with joyous laughter-- laughter of Ash, Misty, and their long lost friend..  
  
Their new journey had begun.  
  
  
  
_____________ THE END ____________  
  
  
  
________  
  
No, your eyes do not deceive you! That says The End, really! No more continues! It's all done! Are you proud of me, or what?  
  
Well, I hope you guys and girls liked it! I've had a lot of fun with this, and I do hope you've had fun reading it!!! Look out for more of my stuff in the future (though there won't be much), and I'll try to look out for yours, too!  
  
Thanks for sticking with me!  
  
--Starglider 


End file.
